THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 3, 1996 TAG: 9603010189
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 29 lines
It is fitting that Junius Williams Jr. should go down in history as the first black person to be named Portsmouth's First Citizen.
No one, black or white, is more qualified than Williams for the honor and no one has done more for racial harmony in this city than he has done.
He has maintained his identity in the black community as a member of Zion Baptist Church, Jack and Jill and the Eureka Club. At the same time, Williams is a man who lives in the real world, realizing that the future of the African-American community definitely is tied to the future of the entire city.
He has been involved in many leadership roles with Portsmouth's civic endeavors - the Chamber of Commerce, the Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the Portsmouth Partnership, the Portsmouth Schools Foundation and a host of other groups aiming to make Portsmouth a better place.
Williams has done what he has done not as a black man but as a citizen. He understands the importance of contributing to the total community. He exemplifies exactly what a First Citizen for Portsmouth should be. by CNB