Love Stories
Richmond Free Press © 2019 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
VOL. 28 NO. 7
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
www.richmondfreepress.com
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Frank Robinson remembered A12
February 14-16, 2019
A boulevard named Arthur Ashe
City Council approves street to honor Richmond legend By Jeremy M. Lazarus
From now on, it will be Arthur Ashe Boulevard. As it turns out, the third time was the charm for the effort to rename the Boulevard for Richmond-born tennis great and humanitarian Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. During a turbulent Black History Month that has put Virginia in the spotlight on racial issues, the Richmond City Council Monday night overwhelmingly approved renaming the street —
an honor that the governing body had rejected twice before in the 26 years since Mr. Ashe’s death on Feb. 6, 1993. Despite months of controversy, the Arthur Ashe Boulevard proposal that Mayor Levar M. Stoney co-patroned sailed through on an 8-0 vote, with the abstention of 8th District Councilwoman Reva M. Trammell, who objected to using taxpayer dollars to pay for new signs. At least four members of the council, including sponsor 2nd District Councilwoman Kim B. Gray, came into the meeting
Gov. Northam apology tour Gov. Ralph S. Northam will attend a Virginia Union University chapel service on “Faith, Identity and Social Justice” next week as part of his “apology tour in the aftermath of his blackface photo controversy,” university officials announced. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, in the Allix B. James Chapel of Coburn Hall on the VUU campus, 1500 N. Lombardy St.
Former Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of South Richmond, will speak. There was no indication that Gov. Northam will do anything other than attend the event. “We must continue the conversation regarding a path to move forward in response to last week’s rally led by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network,” the university stated in a news release announcing the governor’s appearance. “It is important to bring the community together to begin to develop a plan to reach healing and reconciliation.”
Black community divided over whether Northam should resign By Jeremy M. Lazarus
To condemn or to forgive? That question is dividing AfricanAmerican clergy, congregants and others dealing with the revelations that Virginia’s governor and attorney general decades ago wore racist blackface while pretending to be black entertainers. The Rev. Al Sharpton took center stage on the condemnation front Feb. 7 as he took part in a Virginia Union University program titled “Reflections on Faith, Community and Racial Reconciliation in the Commonwealth.” The political commentator and leader of the National Action Network was quick to lend his voice to the call for Gov. Ralph S. Northam and Attorney General Mark R. Herring to resign. “If the governor wants to repent and grow, if the attorney general wants to repent and grow, then good,” Rev. Sharpton said. “The best example of that is to say, ‘I’m resigning, and I’m going to tour and tell people that I gave up my seat for a greater seat.’ But you can’t commit an injury, and then say, ‘I’m going to hold everything I got’ — that it’s business as usual.” In Rev. Sharpton’s view, “if you sin, you must pay for the sin,” or else it is “a pass.” Richmond Delegate Delores L. McQuinn and Richmond City Councilman Michael J. Jones, both ministers, were among the program speakers at VUU who, in their turn, urged the governor to leave office to show support for racial reconciliation.
committed to voting for the proposal. Passage was assured when 4th District Councilwoman Kristen N. Larson, who is part of a tennis-playing family, broke her public silence and announced she would support the change. In many ways, the vote represented the council’s effort to promote racial reconciliation and healing in the year Virginia will mark the arrival of the first Africans 400 years ago. Please turn to A4
Capitol chaos blowing over? By Jeremy M. Lazarus
The storm over the State Capitol appears to be easing up — for now. Whatever the future fallout, none of Virginia’s top three officials is leaving office. Calls for impeachment have been silenced and the General Assembly is back to being fully engaged in developing legislation. Indeed, the emergence of a second woman accusing Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax of sexual assault nearly 20 years ago has begun to overshadow the blackface incidents from the 1980s involving Gov. Ralph S. Northam and Attorney General Mark R. Herring. Lt. Gov. Fairfax has stoutly denied any wrongdoing, describing the allegations as false and calling for a complete independent investigation. The 39-year-old lieutenant governor has been hit hardest. Once a gubernatorial prospect, his fundraising is shut down, Please turn to A6
RRHA poised to name Duncan as new CEO By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Rev. Al Sharpton condemns blackface and calls for Gov. Ralph S. Northam to resign in his keynote address Feb. 7 at Virginia Union University’s Reflections On Faith, Community and Racial Reconciliation program.
But that doesn’t sit well with the Rev. Rodney Hunter, pastor of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in the city’s East End and president of the Richmond Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. In his view, Rev. Sharpton is taking an Old Testament approach rather than following Christian teachings that make forgiveness a major element of dealing with sinners, while leaving judgment to God. Rev. Hunter led a group that included John W. Boyd, founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association;
Bernice Travers, president of the Richmond Crusade for Voters; and former City Councilman Henry W. “Chuck” Richardson to the State Capitol on Monday to urge people to take a breath and end their rapid-fire calls for resignation. Their news conference came as the first public polling on the issue of the governor’s tenure suggested that a majority of African-Americans are supportive of Gov. Northam staying in office. “Should a man who once put black paint
Damon E. Duncan, a public and affordable housing veteran with 26 years of experience, is to be named the next chief executive officer of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the Free Press has learned. RRHA’s board is scheduled to meet Mr. Duncan next Wednesday, Feb. 20, to officially tap Mr. Duncan, currently chief executive officer of the Housing Authority of Elgin, Ill., 35 miles northwest of Chicago. He has held that post since 2012. Please turn to A4
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Catholic dioceses release list of 58 clergy accused of sexually abusing children By Denise Lavoie Associated Press
Virginia’s two Roman Catholic dioceses on Wednesday published lists of 58 priests credibly accused of sexually abusing minors, joining other dioceses around the country in answering calls to make public the names of abusive clergy. The Diocese of Richmond said each of the 42 priests on its list had a “credible and substantiated” allegation of sexual abuse against a child. The names
of 16 priests appeared on a list released by the Diocese of Arlington. Both dioceses said the lists were published after independent reviews of all clergy personnel files. The bishops of both Richmond and Arlington said none of the clergy whose names appear are currently in active ministry. Both bishops apologized to victims in letters that accompanied the lists. “To those who experienced abuse from clergy, I Bishop Knestout
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Ava Reaves
Expression through dance Members of the Prestige Dance Studio perform “Freedom Too,” one of several pieces performed by talented youths from throughout Central Virginia that were showcased at Sunday’s Generation Dream 2019. Please see more photos, B2.