RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Resources
and the Library of Virginia
commemorated the leadership and accomplishments of eight
outstanding African Americans during the fourth annual "Strong Men
& Women in Virginia History" awards program on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, at the Richmond
Marriott.
The program honors prominent African Americans, past and
present, who have made significant contributions to the
commonwealth.
"It is always an honor to celebrate the accomplishments of these
extraordinary individuals during Black History Month," said
Daniel A. Weekley, vice president of
Corporate Affairs-Dominion. "Be it through government, education,
activism, sports or the arts, these men and women have helped shape
and improve our communities while enriching the lives of many."
Dominion Resources is the parent company of Dominion Virginia Power
and sponsor of the annual series.
"Each year, the men and women honored through the Strong Men and
Women program bear witness to the amazing accomplishments and
contributions of African-American Virginians throughout our history
and up to the present day," added Dr. Sandra G. Treadway, Librarian of
Virginia. "The Library of Virginia is proud to be a partner in this
valuable program, which serves as an inspiration to us
all."
The following honorees were recognized:
- Melody C. Barnes –
former domestic policy advisor, President Barack Obama administration, Richmond
- Thomas Cannon, Sr.* –
humanitarian and philanthropist, Richmond
- Clarence M. Dunnaville, Jr. –
attorney and civil rights activist, Roanoke
- The Honorable Leroy R. Hassell, Sr.* –
first African-American chief justice, Virginia Supreme Court,
Norfolk
- The Honorable Mamie E. Locke – first
African-American mayor, Hampton,
Virginia senator and educator, Hampton
- Claude G. Perkins, Ph.D.
– president – Virginia Union
University, Richmond
- Michael Robinson –
retired professional football player and youth mentor, Henrico
- Anne Bethel Spencer*
– American poet and civil rights leader, Lynchburg
*Posthumous honor
Four high school students also were recognized during the
ceremony. Each wrote winning essays, selected from more than 200
entries, about the importance of helping others.
The winners of the 2016 "Strong Men & Women in
Virginia History" student essay writing contest are:
- Samuel Adu-Gyamfi –
Highland Springs High School, Henrico
County
- Sohilia Elziny – Woodside High
School, Newport News
- Savannah Frye –
Westfield High School, Fairfax County
- Katy Richardson – Gate
City High School, Scott
County
Each student received an Apple iPad Air and $1,000 for their school. Winning essays and
program details, as well as photos and videos of the event will be
posted on www.lva.virginia.gov/smw. For B-roll of students reading
their winning essays, go to
www.dom.com/corporate/news/media-downloads.
About Dominion Resources
Dominion (NYSE: D) is one of
the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a
portfolio of approximately 24,400 megawatts of generation, 12,200
miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline,
and 6,490 miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion
operates one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems
with 928 billion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves utility
and retail energy customers in 14 states. For more information
about Dominion, visit the company's website
at www.dom.com.
About the Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia (www.lva.virginia.gov), located in
historic downtown Richmond, holds
the world's most extensive collection of material about the
Old Dominion and has been a steward of
the commonwealth's documentary and printed heritage since 1823. The
story of Virginia and Virginians
has been told in many ways since 1607. At the Library of
Virginia it is told through more
than 119 million manuscripts and nearly 2.5 million books, serials,
bound periodicals, microfilm reels, newspapers and state and
federal documents, each an individual tile in the vast and colorful
mosaic of Virginia's
experience.
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SOURCE Dominion Resources