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John Tolbert

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John W. Tolbert, Jr. (Charlestown, West Virginia, 12 July 1905 – 1999) was an American local education activist and local politician from Leesburg, Virginia.[1]

He was born in Charlestown, West Virginia, on July 12, 1905, to John W. Tolbert, Sr., and Sarah Dabney Tolbert. In his youth he attended Dunbar High School (Washington, D.C.).[2]

He was the first black person to serve on the Leesburg Town Council, for 14 years from 1976 to 1990, and never missed a meeting.[3] Tolbert was appointed to the Town Council in 1976 and was first elected in 1978,[4] losing reelection in 1990.[5] He Active in public life, he gave his time and energy to numerous organizations and committees, receiving a number of awards for his achievements.[6][self-published source]

John W. Tolbert Jr. Elementary School,[7] Tolbert Street, the John W. Tolbert Jr. Bridge, and the Tolbert Building, all in Leesburg, are named in his honor.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Obituary
  2. ^ Hedgpeth, Dana (9 December 1999). "A LuminaryIn Leesburg Dies at Age 94". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  3. ^ State of Virginia, Bill Tracking - 2000 session Legislation Archived 2001-01-08 at the Wayback Machine Feb 4, 2000 – "WHEREAS, appointed to the Leesburg Town Council in 1976, John Tolbert became the first African-American elected to the council in 1978; "
  4. ^ Hedgpeth, Dana (December 9, 1999). "A LuminaryIn Leesburg Dies at Age 94". The Washington Post.
  5. ^ Stephen, Turnham (April 9, 1992). "LEESBURG RACES FOCUS ON TAXES, TOWN GROWTH".
  6. ^ Sarah Huntington. In Their Own Words: Recollections of an Earlier Loudoun. Xlibris, 2012. ISBN 1477137262. "When I moved to Loudoun in 1931 there were only 1,500 people living in Leesburg. Years later, in 1949, I ran for Town ..."
  7. ^ Seymour, Liz (October 12, 2000). "School May Be Named for Tolbert".