On September 5, 6 and 7, 2008, the second hall of fame was presented. The West Virginia All Black Schools Sports and Academic Hall of Fame was founded on September 19, 2006. The hall of fame was created to preserve the history of black education in West Virginia prior to 1954 and the Brown vs. Board of Education case.
The third annual hall of fame will be held at the Charleston Marriott on September 3, 4 and 5, 2009. The event opens with a “meet and greet, soul food fest” on Thursday, from 6-10 p.m. On Friday the hall of fame museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum is free and open to the public. This year’s theme for the museum is “The Road to Education”, “From Slavery to the Presidency”. There will be presentations on slavery to segregation; segregation to integration with highlights of Justice Thurgood Marshal; Civil Rights era, with highlights of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and closing with the presidency, with highlights of President Barack Obama. There will be a dinner Friday evening at 6 p.m. following special recognition services for our icons and legends, championship sports teams and historians, closing with a dance and music from the 40s to the present.
To close out this historical weekend on Saturday September 5, 2009, The Black Tie Red Carpet induction ceremonies will commence at 1:00 p.m. featuring our co-host, Michael Hodge, Lifetime Achievement inductee, Gary District HS. Mr. Hodge is a renown producer, writer and actor, appearing on Broadway in several original productions, a myriad number of film, television and commercials. We will culminate our evening with dinner and DVD excerpts from the 2008 hall of fame.
The following inductees are the 2009 Legendary Historic Championship Sports Teams: Aracoma Bulldogs: Coach Lacy Smith and his 1947-48 and 1948-49 football champs, making WV state history; Conley Blue Devils: Coach Leonard R. Valentine(p) and his 1963 first all black basketball team to win an integrated state championship; Fairmont-Dunbar Tigers :Coach Horace “Happy” Belmear and his 1947 state basketball champs and 1953 state football champs; Gary District Bulldogs: Co-Coaches, James Wilkerson, Sr. (P) and Ergie R. Smith Jr., and their 1956-57 football team and Coach James Wilkerson, Sr.(P), his 1939 state basketball champs; Washington HS girls team: Coach (P) and her 1945-46 and 46-47 state basketball champs.
Other inductees include: Genoa Park Central: Coach Elhanier “Teacup” Willis (P), Claudius Watts, Robert Watkins, Charles Thompson, Edward Blevins, Edward Hargro, George Jackson, Larry Justice, Charles Milton Kates, Dr. Carolyn Bailey Lewis, Allonia Thompson, Virginia Clark Hebert and vanguards: Caryn M. Bailey, Brian L. Thompson and Eric J. Thompson; Bluestone Bramwell, Principal Douglas Anderson (P), Walter Lawson Sr., Howard Lee Wilson and Mary Johnson Smith (P); Bolling: Charlene A. Vaughan, Esq., Paul R. Cooley Jr.; Conley: Clemenceau Allen; Dubois: Dwane Tinsley, Esq, Eunice Fleming and Wellington O. Burrell; Byrd Prillerman: Exa Madison, Sherman Lee Ross and Bessie Smoot; Buffalo: Tony Smedley; Aracoma: Curtis Monroe; Wilbur Monroe(P) and Frederick Parks; Dunbar-Fairmont; Eunice L. Green, Esq.; Elkhorn; Don R. Grey, James Grey(P) and Bernice Hoover; Excelsior: Dr. Reginald. A. Bess, Dexter Lorenza Bennett, Shanis Padgett, Robert J. Padgett, Hiawatha N. Spraggins, Sr. (P), Rev. Hiawatha N. Spraggins Jr., BG Robert L. Stephens Jr.(RET), Hon. Booker T. Stephens, John L. Collins, IV(P), John L. Collins V, Dr. Ervin V. Griffin Sr. Oscar Lee Patrick and Kenneth L. Young; Garnet: Cecil “Newt” Flagg Sr. (P), Joan Porter Green, James D. Randall, Sr. (P) and James D. Randall, Jr, Ted Gallion (P); Gary District: Vivian Anderson, Charles Louis Brown(P), Leodis Cloyd, Peggy Cloyd, Dave Hamilton, Steve Harvey, Michael Hodge, Joel Edward Hight (P), Cara Jo Wright; Kimball: Ergie R. Smith, Jr., Geraldine Eubanks and Coach Henry L. Winkfield(P); Stratton: James H. Rowland Jr., Esq., Dr. Roy Dawson, and Rev. Dr. John W.H. Gravely; State: Dr. Charles Astwood, Edward Mitchell Lee and Dr. Michael L. Gallion; Liberty: Serena S. Wilson; Washington: Dr. Harry R. Irving and Dr. Ruth Payne Brown ; WV School for Deaf and Blind: Coach John Robert Bowman (P); Bluefield State College: Sharon Bradley; WV State College: Earl Lloyd.
Ticket information and cost: $35 per person, ceremony, dinner and dance, Friday, September 4; $45 per person to attend the hall of fame induction ceremonies and dinner, black tie, red carpet affair, Saturday September 5. Make checks for reservations and/or donations payable to Dunbar School, Inc. Mail to Helen L. Jackson-Gillison, 3139 West Street, Weirton, WV 26062.
For more information call Helen at 304-748-7116.
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