#InTheLoop | Queens Enthusiast Writes Book on Famous People from the Borough
BY QEDC It's In Queens
John Bowne came from England in the 1660s and fought tirelessly for religious freedom and an end to slavery. Fast forward to the 1800s, and German immigrant Conrad Poppenhusen is establishing a successful business and using his wealth to build a town for his factory workers. Enter the modern world, and John Wang is operating Queens Night Market, an open-air bazaar that averages more than 15,000 weekly visitors.
What do they all have in common? Queens!
Plus, all three are mentioned in Rob MacKay’s new book, Famous People From Queens, which Arcadia Publishing printed on Feb. 6, 2023. With a $23.99 price tag, it’s currently available for order on Arcadia’s website.
Featuring 219 images and lengthy, informative captions, this 128-page paperback informs on Queens overachievers in such fields as acting, business, music, politics, science, sports and religion with a special chapter dedicated to fallen war heroes and justice advocates.
“I truly believe that the best thing about Queens is its people. We’re diverse, talented, friendly, awe-inspiring, and even a little bit crazy … in a good way,” MacKay stated. “I spent countless weekends writing this book, but it was worth it. It’s an honor and a pleasure to share these stories with readers, and I hope they enjoy them as much as I do. ¡Que viva Queens!”
MacKay will present on the book at Kew and Willow Books, 81-63 Lefferts Blvd. in Kew Gardens, on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 pm. Local historian Carl Ballenas will join the conversation.
A former newspaper editor, MacKay also drafted Arcadia Publishing’s 2021 book Historic Houses of Queens and the Queens In Your Pocket guidebook, which has been updated several times since its 2012 launch. The Sunnyside resident currently works for the Queens Economic Development Corporation, where he runs the It’s In Queens social media channels that promote the borough’s hotels, restaurants, shops, and tourism attractions. His interest in writing about his home county grew organically—and intensely—after he became a trustee of the Queens Historical Society in 2018.
Editor’s note: Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell rocks a Kangol hat at the far left in top photo that British artist Janette Beckman took near his childhood home on 205th Street in Hollis in 1984. Joseph “DJ Run” Simmons is to the immediate right, while Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels is at the far right among those standing. They formed Run-D.M.C., a pioneering rap trio whose three-decade career included induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy.
Gertrude Ederle (right) poses in a two-piece bathing suit that her sister had designed for her in the bottom photo. The Flushing resident was 19 when she became the first woman to swim the English Channel on Aug. 6, 1926. Her memory lives on via Ederle Terrace, a public space in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. (Courtesy of Library of Congress)