tonight New Jersey is paying tribute to the late lieutenant governor Sheila Oliver with the start of a three-day celebration of life honoring the 71 year old Trailblazer Oliver died unexpectedly on August 1st after a brief hospitalization and hundreds of mourners lined up today at the State House in Trenton to pay their respects at a historic Memorial where her casket draped with an American flag lay and stayed inside the capital rotunda the final goodbye for a political leader whose work touched countless lives and whose influence is expected to reach many more as the most senior black legislative leader in State history senior political correspondent David Cruz spent the day at the state house as loved ones poured in from far and wide David Briana the line of mourner's stretches from the Rotunda all the way down to Hall and ends here at the Senate chambers in the first day of what is going to be an unprecedented display of love and affection and respect for a woman who we are now just coming to realize had a tremendous impact on this state it began this morning with the private viewing for family the governor and others who worked most closely with the lieutenant governor there was a mix of sadness and celebration inside the state house today tears for the loss of a giant and celebration for her and for the lives she impacted so powerfully she was us and we were her when we saw lieutenant governor Sheila Weil of her walk in the room to see a black woman in power as the moral compass sitting around a table mainly full of men primarily Caucasian and explaining the issues of the community and what it is that we need from the Grassroots level is priceless it was always magical by now you know the resume from East Orange to Essex County to the assembly to speaker and then lieutenant governor Sheila Oliver not only survived the sharp elbowed political worlds of Essex County and the state house she thrived and brought her caucus along with her inspiring a new generation of young black and brown lawmakers when I entered the caucus she was missing ill there's a pitch in her voice she was starting monotone and then when that passion comes that pitch commanded all of us to just be mesmerized and listen to the authority of her voice today we are considering a bill that would ensure constitutional rights constitutional civil rights and equal protection under the law for all New Jersey citizens gee this was that person and uh she personified leadership mentorship and a nice touch of motherhood also so you need that that touch you know that's compassionate yet Stern and know when to make the right decisions for everyone not something she was always empowering and besides being a public servant she always she also had a humorous side of her a compassionate side of her and when I used to talk to her and talk to her about my family she was always making sure my family is okay and putting family first she was like the Sojourner Truth of New Jersey because she fought she was a fierce fierce advocate for justice and equality which she also right now be telling people come on that's enough that's right that's right because she was so humble and down to earth we still have the best pizza Oliver will lay in state tomorrow in Essex County where she grew up and started her career in public service homecoming for the girl from Newark and East Orange who went on to impact the county and the state like few others in its history in Trenton I'm David Cruz NJ Spotlight News