History
The mayor and many of the 50 or so residents who filled the Whittlesey Community Room Friday night said it countless different ways, but it all boiled down to the same thing: 2011 was a great year in Richmond. “I can’t think of a place I’d rather live right now,” said longtime resident Mike Peritz. The year behind and the year ahead were the topics during the open gathering held by Mayor Gayle McLaughlin and touted as a state-of-the-city report…
If you knew George Livingston, you knew how much he valued a tight, efficient schedule. For years, he was clear and direct to his loved ones and his pastor about how he wanted his send-off to go. “Dad wanted us to keep it short,” said his daughter, Grace Livingston-Nunley. “So we respect that.” More than 500 family, friends, residents, friends and many of the city and region’s biggest civic luminaries descended on St. John Missionary Baptist Church Tuesday for the…
Inspired by the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr, more than 400 Richmond residents volunteered their time and skills at the 5th Annual Martin Luther King Day of Service at the Richmond Greenway. The event, which had a festival atmosphere, offered musical entertainment, food, and booths with information on everything from habitat gardens to food systems and climate change. A group of local organizations led by the city, Urban Tilth and Friends of Richmond Greenway worked to maintain and beautify…
George Livingston looked dapper as usual as he lay in repose for a public viewing Monday night. Having devoted much of his 78 years on Earth to public service, it was only fitting that a City of Richmond pin was fastened to the left lapel of his brown suit. “George introduced me to politics” said Councilman Nat Bates, as he offered a few impromptu remarks at a service that allowed friends, family and the public to share their thoughts on…
The residents who marched in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Saturday morning looked to emphasize a particular aspect of his teachings: Unity. “We are moving in the direction of breaking down the barriers that separate us,” said Otheree Christian, president of the Iron Triangle Neighborhood Association, “barriers that contribute to unnecessary violence.” About 200 residents participated marches that began at Nevin Community Center in central Richmond and in Parchester Village. The groups converged at Shields-Reid Park in North Richmond,…
Dolly Felix made a difference, and now her name graces the building where she touched so many lives. About 300 people packed the John F. Kennedy High School gymnasium Saturday for a ceremony dedicating the hardwood floor facility in the former teacher and coach’s honor. The building was officially dedicated the “Coach Dolly Felix Gym.” A teacher and coach whose career in public education in Richmond spanned more than 50 years, Felix died in June, 2011, after a battle with…
Students and teachers from five local schools joined parents and city leaders Friday in a march and celebration in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Students assembled at 3:30 p.m. at the corner of Harbour Way and Florida Avenue and walked while chanting peace hymns and toting signs and other crafts made in classrooms. The destination was the city park on Cutting Boulevard that bears the slain civil rights leader’s name. Billed as the “March for Peace,” the event was…
George Livingston liked looking back. His hindsight wasn’t marred by what-ifs or dubious intentions. He gave it all he had, and there’s no shame in that. “What I am proud of is I was able to help integrate the city,” Livingston said during a lengthy chat in his Richmond home in February, 2011. “I gave people a chance that didn’t have a chance.” History will remember Livingston for many things. He was the city’s second African American City council member…
It was a year of indelible images in Richmond, and we were privileged to be behind the camera lens to capture a few of them.
Winnowing down the thousands of images we gathered in Richmond’s streets, parks, boardrooms, shores, restaurant halls and other spots was no easy task, and the results are no doubt imperfect. Undaunted, we present to you a handful of the images that hit us hardest, with some candid reflections from the photographers who captured them.