Library of Virginia, Dominion honor African-American history makers
By Laura Kebede, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The two entities combined their awards program last year to honor African-American history makers during Black History Month.
"These men and women offer powerful examples of individuals who refused to be defined by their circumstances," organizers said in a statement. "These individuals demonstrate how African-Americans have actively campaigned through education and advocacy for better lives for themselves, their people and all Americans."
The 2014 honorees are:
(circa 1864-1931)
Educator,
Before he was 20, Blackwell graduated from
After more than two decades at the helm, Blackwell was demoted after
The school he led for more than 20 years was named after him in 1952. The surrounding neighborhood in
First African-American mayor,
"
At age 24, Euille lobbied
Euille then served on the council from 1994 to 2003 before being elected as the city's first African-American mayor in 2003.
"I did not want to solely be known as the first African-American mayor," he said. "I wanted to be known as a leader who is able to unite a diverse community."
Euille also has served on various community organization boards, always making time to mentor young men, he said.
His selection for the award "will hopefully enable them to appreciate and respect and allow this to be the foundation to motivate them to do bigger and better things in their lives," he said. "I want my story to be inspirational to help others."
"It was because of the teachers who taught me, how they inspired me and pushed me to excel and not just look at my background ... but my future," said Futrell, now a professor at
Along the way, Futrell lobbied for the rights of teachers as head of the local and state education associations.
"I don't think people really anticipated how difficult it was going to be," she said. "We not only worked together academically but socially ... to bring the school together."
Futrell graduated from
"If (students) get a quality education, they can open any door they want to," Futrell said. "When you walk through the door, reach back and help somebody else."
Elizabeth Hobbs Keckly (1818-1907)
Seamstress and author,
Elizabeth Hobbs Keckly befriended first lady
Keckly became the first lady's confidante and wrote a book in part to raise money for the indebted woman after her husband's assassination.
The publisher of her book, "Behind the Scenes, Or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the
The Lincoln family shunned Keckly for the revealing personal details in the book, and she did not sell many copies. She continued to sew, teaching young dressmakers at
She died at the shelter she helped establish, the
Civil rights pioneer,
More than 50 years after taking on
McQueen's father,
"Although the award is given to me, I really can't stop thinking the award is for my parents because they were courageous," she said. "I will also be accepting it on their behalf."
They won the case, but
"That was a very emotional time for me. ... It was the most lonesome time I can remember in my life," said McQueen, now 72. The 2013 graduation ceremony "certainly helped heal some wounds."
McQueen went to
"I figure if I hadn't done it, someone else would've done it," she said. "We are a strong people, and we're not going to sit by the wayside and not get something done."
Newspaper editor,
He later represented
In 1921, he was the lone black candidate for governor in protest of the
Mitchell's great-great-niece
First African-American federal judge in
President
He presides in the Richmond Division of the
"I've always ... been the first black or the only black," he said. "I long for the day when it will be so insignificant that it will become irrelevant."
Spencer graduated from
Youth sports mentor,
Williams was a star player at
"So many people might do something about where they play at, but not where they came from," he said. "I wanted to do something for the community."
Williams' program boasts 455 basketball scholarships, 18
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(c)2014 the Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Va.)
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