It is Back – Meet the Legends Reception

May 18, 2022 at 6:30 pm at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.

After more than a two-year delay, we are ready to celebrate and welcome the newest Living Legends of Alexandria!

This year’s reception will honor the 2020 Living Legends of Alexandria: Carol and Ryan Bailey, Frank Fannon IV, Magaly and Tom Hirst, Rosa Landeros, McArthur Myers, Ginny and Richard Obranovich, Bill Reagan, Donald Simpson Jr. and Lindsey Swanson and Katey Halasz.

The program will be hosted by TLC TV personality Monte Durham of “Say Yes to the Dress” and feature video presentations of this year’s Legends. A reception catered by the HomeGrown Restaurant Group will follow and provide the opportunity to meet and mingle with many Living Legends of Alexandria.

Purchase your tickets here

We are sad to hear of the passing of Living Legend Carlyle “Connie” Ring. Connie passed away just recently. His accomplishments as a Living Legend can be read here.

Carlyle Conwell Ring Jr. (Age 90)

Published by The Washington Post from Aug. 25 to Aug. 26, 2021.

Carlyle Conwell “Connie” Ring, Jr., 90, passed away peacefully on August 19, 2021, at his home at Goodwin House, Alexandria, Virginia. Connie Ring was no ordinary man. A man of strong faith, keen intellect, and passion for justice, Connie made lasting contributions to his community and profession through his personal commitment and tireless work ethic. The adventure began on May 25, 1931, in Camden, New York where he was raised by his parents, Carlyle Conwell and Mary Lois (Tooley) Ring. He was the third of six children. He graduated from Jamestown High School. His father was the superintendent of schools there and instilled in Connie the value of a good education as a key to success. In 1946, Connie left his hometown to attend Hamilton College, where he excelled academically, graduating summa cum laude in 1951, with a degree in history. Connie believed in the value of a liberal arts education. He was honored to receive the Hamilton College Bell Ringer Award in 2015 as an outstanding alumnus for “contributions made to the College, its alumni and the community.” Connie’s academic journey continued at Columbia Law School. However, his plans were sidetracked when he met Jane Norwood Lee during a summer job delivering milk at Chautauqua Institution. Jane was also spending her summer in Chautauqua, but would be returning to her studies as a music major at Duke University in the fall. Highly motivated, Connie managed to transfer to Duke to be with Jane. The couple eloped in 1954, a secret that was held very closely and only revealed in 1994. The second, public wedding, held in 1955, was celebrated as their anniversary. Connie and Jane moved to Alexandria, VA in 1956, where they raised their four children Donna Lee, Mary Elizabeth “Libby,” Russell “Rusty” Conwell, and John Roderick “Roddy.” Connie pursued a legal profession, while also serving his community. He was an appointed member of the Alexandria School Board from 1969 to 1978, and chairman from 1976 to 1978. During this time, he was involved in the integration of public schools in Alexandria. Connie later held a seat on Alexandria’s City Council from 1979 to 1988. He also served on the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority for eleven years. His success in public office was built on his personal integrity, persistence, and humility. He was happy to work in the background, share credit, and find common ground. One of Connie’s proudest accomplishments was the result of his appointment by Governor Linwood Holton to serve on the Uniform Law Commission. As a commissioner, he chaired the committee that wrote the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act of 2000, which was the only law to address valid contracts over the internet. He was also a lead author of the Uniform Commercial Code, Article 4A, related to wire transfers, which was adopted by all 50 states. He chaired the committee that wrote the revised Anatomical Gift Act as well. Connie’s contribution to the City of Alexandria and its citizens earned him the honor of being named as an Alexandria “Living Legend” in 2011. His comment upon receiving this recognition was, “Happiness really comes from being of service to the community.” His “commitment to the common good” was also recognized by Duke University, which selected him as the first recipient of Charles S. Murphy Award for Achievement in Civic Service. Connie was an active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Alexandria among other jobs, chairing the 50th anniversary celebration, raising funds for the first elevator, serving as a youth advisor and elder. Carlyle Conwell Ring, Jr. is survived by his wife, Jane, his four children and their spouses, Donna and Eric Moss (Towson, MD), Libby and Steve Lord (Stuart, FL), Rusty and Lori Ring (Alexandria, VA), and Roddy and Lisa Ring (Alexandria, VA); his ten grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. A funeral service is scheduled for August 27, at 11 a.m., at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Alexandria. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Connie’s memory be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church at 2701 Cameron Mills Road, Alexandria, VA 22302; The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra at 700 N Fairfax Street, Ste 501, Alexandria, VA 22314; or The TWIG, P.O. Box 26324, Alexandria, VA 22313.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Connie’s memory be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church at 2701 Cameron Mills Road, Alexandria, VA 22302; The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra at 700 N Fairfax Street, Ste 501, Alexandria, VA 22314; or The TWIG, P.O. Box 26324, Alexandria, VA 22313.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/washingtonpost/name/carlyle-ring-obituary?id=6345681

We are sad to hear of the passing of Living Legend James Henson. James passed away on December 13, 2020. His accomplishments as a Living Legend can be read here.

James E. Henson Sr., retired Howard County Human Rights Office chief, dies

By JACQUES KELLY BALTIMORE SUN |DEC 22, 2020 AT 3:50 PM

James E. Henson Sr., a retired attorney who had been Howard County’s pioneering African American assistant county solicitor and headed its Human Rights Office, died of cancer and congestive heart failure complications Dec. 13 at his Virginia home. The former Ellicott City resident was 84.

Born in Alexandria, Virginia, he was a great nephew of Matthew Alexander Henson, co-discoverer of the North Pole with Robert E. Peary on April 6, 1909.

Another relative was the Rev. Josiah Henson, a runaway slave whose early life was depicted by Harriet Beecher Stowe in her novel, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”

The son of Clarence McGuire and Katherine Henson, he was a 1954 graduate of Parker Gray High School. An honor student, he earned varsity letters in football, basketball and track.

Mr. Henson joined the Air Force and retired 20 years later with the rank of master sergeant.

In a 1992 Sun story, he said he did not encounter as much racial prejudice as others might at the same time, he said, because as an Air Force football star — “a tailback who made his share of touch downs” — he was well known and well liked.

“Sports was always a good outlet for some of the things I repressed on the job,” he said.

He showed up in uniform one day for a new assignment in passenger service and was told instead to put on fatigues and become part of a work detail.

Mr. Henson became an air transportation supervisor responsible for passenger service. While in the service, he was awarded the Air Force Commendation medal, the Bronze Star for meritorious service and the Meritorious Service Medal.

After leaving the military he earned a business degree at the University of Maryland, College Park and was a 1979 graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law.

He clerked for Baltimore Circuit Judge Milton B. Allen and later worked for the Baltimore law firm, Singleton, Dashiell and Robinson.

In 1981 Jean Toomer, then the Howard County human rights director, told Mr. Henson of an opening in the county office of law. He subsequently became the county government’s first black attorney or assistant county solicitor.

In 1992 then Howard County Executive Charles I. Ecker named Mr. Henson to head the county Human Rights Office.

In the Sun story, Mr. Ecker said that Mr. Henson’s ability to work with people and solve problems that led him to appoint to the human rights job.

“He knows the community and he knows the law,” Mr. Ecker said in 1992.

“Jim had the edge among three outstanding finalists because of his working with people — his already knowing people in the community,” Mr. Ecker said. “That’s probably what tipped the scales in his favor. In my checking around, all I heard were good things.”

The news story described Mr. Henson as “dapper and quick with a smile.” It said that he preferred persuasion to confrontation.

“He would rather ask someone as a friend to do what he believes is right than apply pressure,” the 1992 article said.

One of the few times that he recalled being confrontational was in 1964. He and another black man had taken six children to newly integrated Folly Beach near Charleston, South Carolina. They were heckled by the crowd.

“They threw a paper cup with ice at us, and it splashed on the kids,” Mr. Henson said. “The crowd was jeering, and my friend said, ‘Hit me, but don’t touch the kids!’

“As we walked past two policemen, somebody threw a rock. It hit the back of my station wagon. I whirled around and shouted, ‘Who threw that rock?’ Mr. Henson said. “Fortunately, no one said anything. We got in the car and quickly pulled off.”

He said his first task as human rights director was to examine public policy in terms of discrimination. “We have a fourfold duty to cultivate, protect, enforce and encourage,” he said.

In 1996, Mr. Henson said, “We’re making progress [in Howard County], but we still have our problems in this community. We’ve got a long way to go before we become the utopia that people are seeking.”

He retired from the post in 1997.

He also co-authored a 2013 book, “African Americans of Alexandria: Beacons of Light in the 20th Century.”

In 1998, Mr. Henson was photographed at the USNS Henson, a naval ship named for the African American Arctic explorer. Then Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke declared the day, Matthew Henson Day.

Mr. Henson spoke to children at the Howard County library’s Savage branch in 2003.

“This is one of the most exciting things I do, tell the story of my family members who just happen to be national heroes,” he said. “And I hope the young people can realize they, too, can be national heroes.”

Mr. Henson was honored by the Alexandria Jaycees, the First Baptist Church of Guilford, and the United Negro College Fund.

A viewing will be held from 2 to 9 p.m. Jan. 7 at the Greene Funeral Home in Alexandria, Virginia. A private funeral will be held at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church.

Survivors include his wife of 44 years, E. Ardene Valentine, a legal assistant; a son, James E. Henson Jr. of Richmond, Virginia; five daughters, Kayla Henson, Deborah Henson and Sharon Henson of Alexandria, Valerie Henson-Ford of Arlington, Virginia and Nicole Walker of Grovetown, Georgia; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/obituaries/bs-md-ob-james-henson-20201222-gzrwtaslfnbrnc2kr6n35sxgcu-story.html