Famous Virginians...

**R13** · July 7th, 2009, 04:07 PM

Knew about our 8 presidents of course, but didn't know about a lot of these people who contributed a lot to society, came from right here....

Booker T. Washington

Maggie L. Walker – first woman bank president in America, advocate of black women's rights

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson

Roger Arliner Young - Clifton Forge - The first African-American woman to be awarded a Ph.D. in zoology

Ella Fitzgerald

Pearl Bailey

L. Douglas Wilder - First elected African-American Governor in U.S. history

Arthur Ashe - Wimbledon champion (1975); Medal of Freedom Award (1993)

Henry Clay

Sam Houston

Nat Turner - Led slave rebellion

Richard E. Byrd – explorer of North and South poles

William Clark – explored Louisiana Purchase for President Thomas Jefferson

Meriwether Lewis – explored Louisiana Purchase for President Thomas Jefferson

Cyrus McCormick (Virginia), who along with his father revolutionized agriculture with his invention of the horse-drawn reaper.

Bessie Blount, invented a device to allow WWII amputees to feed themselves.

James E. West, developed foil electret transducer used in 90 of 100 microphones built today.

**MikeJones** · July 7th, 2009, 04:37 PM

I would likk to add GWAR, Alabama Thunder*****, Pig Destroyer, Wanye Newton, Ella Fitzgerald and Patsy Cline for music.

**CoeburnCane** · July 7th, 2009, 04:48 PM

Don't forget Lamb of God.

**R13** · July 7th, 2009, 07:39 PM

I didn't know a lot about this couple, pretty fascinating since VA was always about 50 years behind everyone else when it came to civil-rights.

6pc7wi

Mildred and Richard Loving

Richard Loving (1933-1975) was of Caucasian descent.

Mildred Jeter (1939-2008) was of African and native Rappahannock descent.

Mildred and Richard were childhood sweethearts in Caroline County, Virginia. When they grew up, they decided to marry.

The marriage laws in Virginia said that no white person could marry a non-white person, so the Lovings were married in June, 1958 in Washington..

After they returned home, the local sheriff burst into their bedroom and arrested Mr. and Mrs. Loving.

To avoid going to jail, the couple had to leave Virginia.

The Lovings moved to Washington, but in time were frustrated that they could not visit their families in Virginia.

in 1963, Mrs. Loving wrote the US Attorney General, Robert F. Kennedy, who referred her case to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union).
The case was taken all the way to the US Supreme Court.

On June 12, 1967. the Supreme Court ruled that the laws forbidding inter-racial marriages were unconstitutional.

After the Supreme Court decision, Mr. and Mrs. Loving moved back to Virginia to raise their three children.

**Biggin** · July 8th, 2009, 01:06 AM

ill add a couple on the music side

the clipse
timbaland
missy elliot
teddy riley
chris brown

**VHSLhelper** · July 8th, 2009, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by Burton13

Cyrus McCormick (Virginia), who along with his father revolutionized agriculture with his invention of the horse-drawn reaper.

It was their farm up in Rockbridge Co. where the plane crashed a few days ago that killed the former CEO of Checkers.

**MikeJones** · July 8th, 2009, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by CoeburnCane

Don't forget Lamb of God.

I did not know that.

**collegetrumpet2010** · July 8th, 2009, 08:08 PM

When I used to listen mainly to Christian music, there's a classic Christian band I liked that went solo. The band itself formed in VA; DC Talk. Not all of the members are from VA though.