February 2018


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The Hampton Roads Messenger 9 Hampton University's 125th Founder’s Day Ceremony Photos courtesy of Hampton University


Lt. Col. Claude Vann, III, Presidential Citizenship Award recipient


Hampton University alumnus Lt. Gen. Darrell K. Williams was the keynote speaker at the 125th Founder’s Day ceremony. The ceremony was part of Hampton University’s celebration of its 150th anniversary and 40 years of leadership under President Dr. William R. Harvey. During the ceremony, Dr. Harvey presented the Presidential Citizenship Award to Dr. Christine Darden and retired Army Lt. Col. Claude Vann III and he conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters upon Dr. Mary T. Christian.


Darden (’62) is a former mathematician, data analyst, and aeronautical


engineer who devoted much of her 40-year career in aerodynamics at NASA to researching supersonic flight and sonic booms. Darden is one of the researchers featured in the book “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race.”


Vann (’77) is a former Hampton University assistant professor of Military


Science. After Vann retired from the Army in 1998, he served at Hampton University before accepting a position at Newport News Shipbuilding. In 2008 he took an early retirement, and accepted a voluntarily recall to active duty, during which he was the Chief, Family Housing at Fort Monroe until the installation closed in 2011.


He is one of the biggest supporters of Hampton University’s


ROTC program. Earlier in the day, Dr. Harvey laid a wreath at the graveside of Hampton


University founder Brig Gen. Samuel C. Armstrong, joined by 20 of Armstrong’s descendants. Dr. Harvey also recognized the new inductees to the Quarter-Cen- tury Club. These members of the faculty and staff have worked at HU for 25


Dr. Mary T. Christian recipient of honorary Doctor of Humane Letters


years and were commended for their dedicated service. The 2018 inductees are Dr. Abiodun Adibi, Deborah Bowers, Marsha Edlow, Marian Hinton and Dr. Liguang Tang.


The day was capped off by a conversation with General Armstrong’s


descendants. Samuel Armstrong Howe and Margie Howe Emmons joined Senior Vice President Paul Harris on stage as other family members joined in a discussiong with students, faculty, alumni and staff about what Armstrong meant to them and to the university.


Howe opened the discussion with a biography of Armstrong leading up to his heroics in the Civil War, and how Armstrong was treated for malaria at a hospital on the present Hampton University property. After the Civil War, Armstrong volunteered to help the government educate newly freed blacks, thus the genesis of Hampton Normal and Agricultural School.


Emmons read a letter from her great-grandfather that implored that the


work of the School continues because, “unless some shall make sacrifice, it shall not go on.”


Another descendant, Arthur Howe III (and grandson of past Hampton Institute President Arthur Howe), was excited to be at Hampton, and pleased with the reception he received from the students.


“This has been the most welcoming group of students of any college


campus that I’ve ever been on,” Howe said. “Students open doors for me; they are very open conversationally. You are a remarkable group.”


St. Paul AME Celebrates Legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Courtesy of Saint Paul AME Church


The Reverend Dr. Oretha P. Cross, Pastor and the Lay Organization of St.


Paul AME Church hosted a Celebration Commemorating the Legacy of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This Memorable Program held on January 15, 2018 captured the moment through the theme, “The Time is Now”.


The guest speaker, The Reverend Dr. Dwight Riddick, Sr., Pastor,


Gethsemane Baptist Church, Newport News, Virginia shared an inspirational, captivating message, “If we sit here, we will die”, 2 Kings 7:1-4 (NIV). The message continuously brought the attendees to their feet.


Five legacy awards were presented to community leaders. Brother Kelvin Boston – Lifelong member of Saint Paul A.M.E. Church


– for his contributions as part of the first fabrication effort to build the first Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle Stage Adaptor hardware that was flown aboard the unmanned Exploration Flight Test-1 launch vehicle in December 2014. Mr. Boston received the Silver Snoopy Award at NASA Langley Research Center on October 28, 2017 for his efforts. The award was personally presented by NASA astronaut, Mission Commander Steve Bowan. Erma Dean Wiggins Price – A renowned music teacher and musician of the greater Hampton Roads area. Her award winning bands became the pride of Southeast Newport News. In 2003 under her leadership the band was selected from entries throughout the country to complete in the Third Annual Battle of High School Bands in Carson, CA. They were


awarded 3rd Place in the competition. The Honorable David F. Pugh, Retired Judge – presided over one of four Circuit courts for the Seventh Judicial Circuit in Newport News. He was appointed by the General Assembly in 2003 and assumed the duties of Chief Judge July 1, 2006. Judge Pugh legal experience includes service as an associate attorney and legal partner with the law firm of Stone, Bland and Wood and as a private practitioner. He was appointed as a judge to the Newport News General District Court, Civil Division, in April 1990, and served two terms as Chief judge. Otis H. Smith, Jr. – A product of the Newport News Community, he remains a loyal resident and businessman in the community as the owner and manager of O.H. Smith & Son Funeral Home. The Smith family has stood as beacons in the community and have proudly served the residents of this Southeast Community for 85 years. The Reverend Dr. Lawrence L. Willis – A Community Organizer, worked with the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority Turnkey III Housing, A Coordinator for Ohio State Minority Recruiting and served in various other fields of recruitment and leadership capacities in the faith community. Reverend Dr. Willis served as the former pastor of Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church in Newport News for 16 years. A Servant that gave of his time, talent and love for God’s people.


All recipients mirrored the essence of those who continued to move, thusly deserving the recognition bestowed upon them.


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