Helen Marshall

Helen M. Marshall (born September 30, 1929) is the 18th Borough President of Queens, first elected in November 2001, to succeed the term-limited Claire Shulman. She is the first African American woman elected as Queens Borough President, and as of 2010 she is the only sitting African American Borough President.

Prior to being elected Borough President, Marshall served on the New York City Council from 1992 to 2001, an office she vacated due to term limits. Prior to being a city councilwoman, Marshall served for nine years in the New York State Assembly. In both the City Council and State Assembly, Marshall represented Queens.

As Borough President, Marshall has made marketing Queens as a tourist destination one of her priorities.

In 2005 Marshall won a second term, defeating her Republican and Conservative challenger Philip T. Sica with 75% of the vote to his 25%. She was inaugurated to her second term as President of the Borough of Queens on January 3, 2006 in a ceremony held at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Marshall outlined her plans for the next four years including health care, education, housing and new park projects.

On July 1, 2009 she appointed Dennis M. Walcott to the reconstituted New York City Board of Education. The Board then voted to name Walcott as president of the board.

In November 2009, Marshall was re-elected to a third term.

Marshall was born in the Bronx. She received a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Queens College. She was teacher for eight years. In 1969, she left teaching to become the first Director of the Langston Hughes Library. Helen Marshall is married to Donald Marshall and they have two children, Donald Jr. and Agnes Marie.