Thelma Parkinson | |
|---|---|
| President of the New Jersey Civil Service Commission | |
| In office 1959–1970 | |
| Governor | Robert B. Meyner Richard J. Hughes |
| Member of the New Jersey Civil Service Commission | |
| In office 1954–1959 | |
| Governor | Robert B. Meyner |
| Member of the New Jersey State Board of Tax Appeals | |
| In office 1932–1945 | |
| Governor | A. Harry Moore Harold G. Hoffman Charles Edison Walter E. Edge |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thelma A. Parkinson May 1898 Vineland, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | March 12, 1983 (aged 84) Vineland, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
William Howard Sharp
(m. 1941; died 1958) |
| Education | Smith College |
Thelma Parkinson Sharp (née Parkinson; May 1898 – March 12, 1983) was an American politician and public official from New Jersey.
Parkinson held several positions in the New Jersey Democratic Party, and in 1930 became the first woman to be nominated for the United States Senate in New Jersey (and as of 2023, the only woman). Parkinson held positions in New Jersey's state government, including as President of the New Jersey Civil Service Commission, a cabinet position. Parkinson also served in national appointments to a White House Conference on Education, and the Advisory Committee on Women in the Armed Forces. In addition to being "the first woman to run for statewide office in New Jersey," Parkinson was also the first, and "longest-serving woman cabinet member in [New Jersey] state history."[1]