Donald M. Karp Collection

Newark native Donald M. Karp, attended Newark public schools until 1950 and graduated from Montclair Academy in 1954. He earned a BA from the University of Vermont (1958) and a JD degree from The Cornell Law School (1961). After serving in the U.S. Army Infantry (1962-1964) he practiced as an attorney in Newark until assuming the position of CEO of the Broad National Bank in 1991. His tenure at the Bank began when he joined its Board in 1972; he went on to serve as Chairman of the Board from 1985. After the Bank underwent mergers (from 1999), he served on the Boards of the Independence Community Bank and the Sovereign Bank. He has been active in a host of Newark-related cultural and civic organizations, including the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC; Council of Trustees), the Newark Museum (Board member); the New Jersey Historical Society (Chairman of the Board), the Newark Public Library, the Newark Preservation and Landmarks Committee, the Newark Conservancy, and New Jersey College of Medicine (Advisory Board). He is also a noted collector of Newark documents, graphic items, and memorabilia and has made several donations of material from his collection to the Newark Public Library and to the Jewish Historical Society of New Jersey.