First Black NAVY Seal Dies; House Rs Vote to Return Confederate Statue to Arlington; Mayor Phillip Jones; JD Spain; Events
➡️ There are 1 days until the June 18, 2024 primary.
➡️ There are 11 days until Network NOVA Women’s Summit on June 28.
➡️ There are 46 days until the Virginia Black Business Expo on Aug. 2.
➡️ There are 77 days until the annual Bobby Scott Labor Day Cookout on Sept. 2.
➡️ There are 141 days until Election Day November 5.
William Goines, First Black Navy SEAL, Dies at 87
🌹 William Goins, the first Black U.S Navy SEAL, died in Norfolk on June 10. He was 87. When Goins was growing up near Cincinnati a local public swimming pool was closed and filled with rocks and gravel in an effort to block integration.. Goins would learn to swim in a nearby creek and the Little Miami River. He enlisted in the Navy in 1955 and served three tours in the Vietnam War with SEAL teams.
After 32 years in the U.S. Navy, Goines retired from the Navy in 1987 as a Master Chief Petty Officer. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon and the Presidential Unit Citation. Four years ago, NBC did a segment on Goins’ commitment to recruiting more Blacks to become SEALS.
192 Republicans in the U.S. House Vote to Return Confederate “Mammy” Statue at Arlington
A VOTE TO REMEMBER. 192 Republicans in the U.S. House voted to return a Confederate “mammy” statue to Arlington Cemetery. On June 13, Republicans in the U.S. House voted to restore a Confederate monument at Arlington National Cemetery. The monument features a Black 'mammy' holding a white soldier's baby, and a slave following his master into battle. The legislation to return the statue was sponsored by Rep. Andrew Clyde, a Republican from Georgia. The vote failed 230-192.
JD Spain at Columbia Pike Blues Festival
FINAL WEEKEND OF CAMPAIGNING. The final weekend of campaigning all over Virginia includes the race for a seat on the Arlington County Board. Below JD Spain is seen greeting attendees at the annual Columbia Pike Blues Festival on June 16, 2024. The music, people, food and weather was amazing.
📸 Mayor Phillip Jones and Dr. Jamila Wynter’s Spectacular Wedding Pics
All of these amazing photos of Mayor Jones’ wedding are by Merrick Cousley
RELATED: A Mayor’s Proposal is Accepted at the White House (The New York Times, June 7, 2024)
NEWPORT NEWS IS GOOD NEWS. Social media may have down sides but the wedding images of Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones and his new bride Dr. Jamila Wynter isn’t one. Newport News’ rising star Mayor also did us the favor of including the list of all the wedding vendors for their special day. The wedding vows took place on May 25, 2024 in Jamaica at the Ocean Cliff Hotel. Congrats! #JamminWiththeJoneses
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