Memorial Service for Col. Carl Johnson; Book Ban Study; Virginia Beach Town Hall

Mar 17, 2025

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Col. Carl C. Johnson

A memorial service was held today in Leesburg, Va. for Col. Carl C. Johnson. Col. Johnson is one of the last living Tuskegee Airman. He will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery tomorrow morning. Johnson was the final Tuskegee Airmen cadet pilot graduate.

Book Ban Study

By Nathaniel Cline. Following the passage of a 2022 state law that created a process for notifying parents of sexually explicit instructional materials in school libraries, schools began to interpret the materials in a variety of ways. Some schools viewed the law as a way to remove books due to their content and concerns by parents.

“Public school libraries are curated by professionally trained school librarians and media specialists who select materials based on their school divisions collection policies,” said Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, who carried Senate Joint Resolution 251 during the last session. “While most school systems are respecting the freedom to read and the right of parents to have the final word on their children’s access to school library materials, it is clear some school systems have not.”

The Senate resolution and a similar House resolution, carried by Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, directs JLARC to look back at how books were removed from public school libraries since July 1, 2020. Researchers will include details about the books removed, the rationale behind the removals, the removal process, and whether school divisions utilized the commonwealth’s model policies.

The study will also identify what state resources are available to school administrators related to decisions about removing books. READ ENTIRE

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Connolly’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day fete

Over 1,000 attended Rep. Gerry Connolly’s 31st Annual St. Patrick’s Day fete in Annandale at the Ernst Cultural Center.

Valerie Scott Price 🌹

Valerie Scott Price, a beloved wife, mother, educator, community leader, and dedicated servant, peacefully ascended to heaven on March 11, 2025, at her home in Newport News, Virginia. Her life was a testament to the power of love, education, and service to others, touching the lives of countless individuals through her career, community work, and deep faith.

Growing Up with Family & Faith

Born on August 13, 1952, at Whitaker Memorial Hospital in Newport News, Virginia, Valerie was the daughter of Dr. C. Waldo Scott and Mae Hamlin Scott. Valerie's early childhood was filled with a love of learning, community, and faith as she was baptized and confirmed at her family’s church, St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church. She attended Newport News Public Schools and graduated in 1970 from Newport News High School, where she was part of the school’s integration process. As a young woman, Valerie was actively involved in many youth activities, including being a Brownie, a Girl Scout, a member of Jack & Jill, a member of the Episcopal Youth Community (EYC), and a debutante.

Valerie’s academic journey continued at Hampton Institute (now Hampton University), where she studied Early Childhood Education. She was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated - Gamma Theta Chapter in April 1973, and was named Miss Early Childhood Education that same year. She graduated with honors, earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in May of 1974.

Creating a Family of Her Own

In August of 1974, Valerie married her childhood friend McKinley L. Price. As McKinley completed his dental education at Howard University and his anesthesia residency in Baltimore, MD, Valerie worked as an educator for the Model Schools Preschools with the District of Columbia Public Schools. The couple later returned to Newport News in 1977, where Valerie’s passion for teaching and shaping young minds truly flourished and where they began to grow their family.

Building a Legacy as an Educator

Valerie became one of the first teachers in the Newport News First Step Program, a Title I initiative. Her work with young children, especially in literacy and soft skills development, became the cornerstone of her career. To gain further knowledge and insights into early childhood development, Valerie graduated from Old Dominion University, earning her Master of Science in Education in 1992. She was an educator with Newport News Public Schools from 1977 until her retirement in 2004, having impacted generations of students through her dedication and teaching excellence. Her expertise was sought out even after her retirement as she was featured in the WHRO documentary Wired for Life in 2006 and invited to participate in numerous roundtable discussions and public presentations.

Being of Service to All Mankind

Valerie continued to serve others with the same passion that defined her teaching career. She cared for ill family members and friends, remained active in her sorority, and devoted herself to the church's mission. She was a key leader in the church, becoming a Trustee at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in 2012, helping establish the Samaritans Club, having served as President and Vice President of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW), helping organize several of the yearly church events, singing with the choir, leading diaper drives, participating in the Lunch Program, and serving on the Vestry from 2022-2025. The highlight of her service was becoming an acolyte later in life after being prevented from doing so in her earlier years because of antiquated gender roles.

Valerie’s commitment to her community led to her active participation in several local organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated - Lambda Omega Chapter, where she led the Community Empowerment Fair from 2009 to 2025. She was appointed to the Commonwealth Council on Aging and served from 2013-2017, and she also served with Newport News Healthy Families Initiatives. She was a member of the Peninsula Agency on Aging’s Community Advisory Board from 2016-2024 and was their Social Justice Committee Chairman.

Following her family’s tradition, Valerie was politically active and was a dedicated volunteer for local campaigns. She was the First Lady of Newport News as Dr. Price served as Mayor of Newport News from 2010-2022 and she also supported her brother’s and daughter’s campaigns. Other organizations that she supported include Virginia BLOC and the NAACP.

Becoming an Entrepreneur

As a lifelong educator, Valerie created The GET UP Project, a business dedicated to helping parents prepare their children for educational success. She developed and copyrighted educational games, including Body Bingo©, Use Your Manners Bingo©, and Shape Up for School©, which helped reinforce important skills in young learners. Through The GET UP Project, Valerie left a lasting impact on both parents and children.

Receiving Her Flowers

Throughout her life, Valerie received numerous awards and honors for her work in education and community service. These include the 2024 local Community Impact Honoree for dedication and service to Peninsula Agency on Aging, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities’ Humanitarian Award (2020), Office of Human Affairs Community Service Award (2015), the Living Legend Award from the Newport News Branch of the NAACP (2012), the Human Rights Award from the Newport News Human Rights Commission (2010), the Peninsula Pan Hellenic Council’s Greek of the Year Award for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. - Lambda Omega Chapter (2008), the Eula Edmonds Glover Award from the Mid-Atlantic Region of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (2008), the Women of Distinction Award from the Virginia Peninsula YWCA (2008), Teacher of the Year distinction at Warwick Early Childhood Center (1995), and many others.

Enjoying a Life Well Lived. Valerie was a fourth-generation graduate of an HBCU, reflecting her family’s deep pride in their heritage and their prioritizing of educational success. She loved spending time with family, bumper cars, butterflies, traveling, and tracing her ancestry. In fact, during the pandemic, Valerie used online resources to connect with cousins she had never known about and used teleconferencing to meet them. She was so happy to have been able to build relationships with them and ultimately meet them in person and learn more about her parents’ and grandparents’ extended families.

Her family, friends, and community will remember her for her unwavering faith, kindness, warmth, class, and laughter. Valerie was a quiet storm, a force for good, and the matriarch of her family. She leaves behind a legacy centered on helping others.

Cherishing Her Memory. Valerie was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. C. Waldo Scott and Mae Hamlin Scott, her brother C. Waldo Scott, Jr, and her Godmother and Aunt Beatrice Rogers Hamlin. She leaves to cherish her memory her husband, the Honorable McKinley L. Price, DDS; her children, Dr. McKinley L. Price II (Amy) and State Delegate Marcia “Cia” Price; her grandson Asa Price; her brothers, US Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott and Dr. Jon Scott; nieces and nephews, Jocelyn Goldman (Dylan), Jaielle Scott, Jon W. Scott, Raven Parker, Tonya Wyche (Darrell), and Art Price; her grand-niece Addison Goldman; cousins, Valentin C. Hamlin, Jr., Cheryl Hamlin, Terri Freeman, Trey Freeman, Chayton Mills, Aaron Freeman, and Kennedi Hamilton; sister-in-law Pamela Price Parker; and a host of other wonderful cousins, nieces, nephews, sorority sisters, classmates, church family, and friends.

Offering Heartfelt Thanks. The Price and Scott families wish to publicly thank Riverside Regional Medical Center, Riverside Hospice Care, Virginia Oncology Associates, TPMG, and VCU Massey Cancer Center for their professionalism and loving care.

Celebrating & Honoring Her Life - The service has been entrusted to O. H. Smith & Son Funeral Home. The Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the Hampton University Memorial Chapel, 100 E Queen Street, Hampton, VA 23669. The public AKA Service will begin at 6:00 pm, and the Episcopal Memorial Service will follow immediately.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Valerie Scott Price Memorial Endowed Scholarship with Hampton University at bit.ly/GiveToHU - choose the amount, click “other” and search for and select The Valerie Scott Price Memorial Endowed Scholarship. Then proceed to enter the other information.

Or consider giving to the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank at bit.ly/FoodbankDonationVSP - Click “Yes, this is an honor or memorial gift” and choose “In Memory of” and then enter Valere Price as the Honoree Name and the Honoree Recipient information is The Price Family, P.O. Box 196, Newport News, VA 23607. Then proceed to enter the other information.

Listen to Black Virginia News podcast 46: 🎙️ Advice for Federal Workers

Upcoming

Rep. Bobby Scott, Civil Rights Leaders: How to Fight the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Americans

On Tuesday, March 25th, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, will host an event with civil rights leaders to discuss how they are fighting the Trump Administration’s attacks on students, workers, and their families.

This event follows the Trump Administration’s systematic attacks on diversity, equity, inclusion, and ability programs, mass firing of federal workers, and general roll back of Americans’ basic civil rights.

WHAT: A discussion with civil rights leaders about how to protect Americans’ civil rights. WHO: Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, Committee on Education and Workforce, Civil Rights Leaders and Advocacy Organizations

WHEN: Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 2:00 PM EST
WHERE: 2261 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20215