By: Richard L. Smith
In a feature by Joseph Lombardi, a writer for the Best of New Jersey online journal, he highlights the life and achievements of Joetta Clark, a notable figure born in East Orange, New Jersey, and raised in Newark.
Lombardi notes that Clark's childhood in Newark was marked by riots and challenges, yet these hardships helped shape her resilient and determined spirit.
Joetta Clark emerged as a distinguished athlete in track and field, consistently participating in both indoor and outdoor seasons for an impressive 25 years.
Her specialty was in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter events, and she proudly represented the United States in four Olympic Games (1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000), as Lombardi recalls in his 1996 report.
In 1996, Clark Diggs was recognized as a Sports Illustrated Hometown Hero, and the following year, she was appointed by the Governor as a commissioner for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.
2002 saw the establishment of the Joetta Clark Diggs Sports Foundation, an organization dedicated to encouraging physical activity among children in grades K-12, promoting health and positive work ethics, and impacting numerous children daily.
Clark Diggs attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where she secured nine collegiate athletic titles.
Concluding their 29-day celebration of Black history in New Jersey, RLS Media pays tribute to Ms. Diggs and all who have contributed to recognizing and honoring the contributions of African Americans in New Jersey, past and present.
INFORMATION & IMAGE CREDIT: Best of NJ online journal, Writer Mr. Joseph Lombardi's 2016 article
SPONSORS: Nino's Ristorante & Pizzeria, Bergen Street Harrison NJ, Jorelle Green S. Green (Keller Willams Realtor), Champions Action Martial Arts (Union, NJ)