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To designate the 2800 block of P Street in honor of the late Reverend Dr. Robert L. Taylor. (7th District)
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WHEREAS, upon information and belief of the Council, Reverend Dr. Robert L. Taylor, who passed away at the age of 95 on February 4, 2012, had a long and distinguished career as a pastor, community leader, and pioneer in the fight for civil rights ; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of the Council, Reverend Dr. Robert L. Taylor graduated from Armstrong High School in 1936 and received four degrees from Virginia Union University; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of the Council, Reverend Dr. Robert L. Taylor served as pastor of the Fourth Baptist Church, the first Black Baptist church in the Church Hill community and a symbol of Black religious strength, from 1952 to 1986; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of the Council, a notable part of Reverend Dr. Robert L. Taylor’s religious ministry and community leadership involved bridge-building between Black and White churches, including organizing one of the first interracial services held with a White church in the late 1950s, followed by many other ecumenical movements over the years, for which he received the Brotherhood Award by the National Conference of Christians and Jews; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of the Council, Reverend Dr. Robert L. Taylor addressed racial inequities and issues by mediating in 1960 on behalf of Black Virginia Union University students with representatives of downtown Richmond stores who refused them service, marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., holding an interracial and interdenominational prayer service on the state capitol steps upon Dr. King’s assassination, and speaking frequently on the ethics and morality of racial discrimination before the City Council of Richmond; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of the Council, Reverend Dr. Robert L. Taylor’s religious and community leadership career included work with the Lott Carey Convention, the National Baptist Convention, the advisory board of the former City of Richmond Welfare Department, the Richmond Community Relations Commission, and as chaplain with the Richmond Police Department; and
WHEREAS, because this designation is honorary only, the provisions of sections 8-7 through 8-10 of the Code of the City of Richmond (2020), as amended, do not apply to the designation made hereby or to any signs erected pursuant to this ordinance;
NOW, THEREFORE,
THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. Designation of Street Block for Honorary Name. The 2800 block of P Street shall be designated in honor of Reverend Dr. Robert L. Taylor pursuant to this ordinance.
§ 2. Effect of Designation. The designation of the portion of the street made pursuant to this ordinance shall be honorary only, shall not replace the existing name of the street, and shall have no effect on the address of any property with an address on the designated street blocks. The sole effect of designation pursuant to this ordinance shall be to authorize the placement of commemorative signs in accordance with this ordinance memorializing the designation in honor of the named person.
§ 3. Administration of Ordinance. The Department of Public Works shall implement this ordinance by installing, as soon as practicable after the adoption of this ordinance, and maintaining commemorative signs in accordance with this section. The commemorative signs shall be clearly distinct from the street signs used to identify the portion of the street in question such that a reasonable person could not conclude that the commemorative signs reflect the actual name of the street. The commemorative signs (i) shall be affixed to a sign pole installed at each end of the portion of the street designated in section 1 of this ordinance for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements of this section or to any existing sign identifying the portion of the street designated in section 1 of this ordinance located at each end of the portion of the street designated in section 1 of this ordinance and (ii) shall bear the name of the person set forth in section 1 of this ordinance.
§ 4. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.