Title
To designate the 200 block of East Marshall Street in honor of the late Oliver Hill, Sr. (6th District)
Body
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of Council, Oliver Hill, Sr., was born on May 1, 1907, in the city of Richmond but spent his early childhood in Roanoke, Virginia; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of Council, Oliver Hill, Sr., earned a juris doctorate from the Howard University School of Law in 1933; and
WHEREAS, in 1934 Oliver Hill, Sr., joined the Virginia State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and returned to the city of Richmond; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of Council, Oliver Hill, Sr., was a founder of two law firms, including Hill, Tucker, and Robinson and Hill, Tucker, and Marsh; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of Council, Oliver Hill, Sr., tried several notable civil rights cases including Alston v. School Board of City of Norfolk, Morgan v. Virginia, Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward, and Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of Council, Oliver Hill, Sr.’s other notable accomplishments included becoming the first Black resident elected to the Council of the City of Richmond in the 20th century in 1948; being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999; awarded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Spingarn Medal in 2005; and having the current City of Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Courthouse named in his honor; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of Council, Oliver Hill, Sr. died on August 5, 2007, at the age of 100 and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in the city of Richmond; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to memorialize Oliver Hill, Sr.’s accomplishments and service to the cause of civil rights in the city and beyond by designating the 200 block of East Marshall Street in his honor as “Oliver Hill Drive;” 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 200 block of East Marshall Street shall be designated in honor of Oliver Hill, Sr., as “Oliver Hill Drive,” pursuant to this ordinance.
§ 2. Effect of Designation. The designation of the 200 block of East Marshall Street made pursuant to this ordinance shall be honorary only, shall not replace the existing name of the road, and shall have no effect on the address of any property with an address on the designated road. 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 road in question such that a reasonable person could not conclude that the commemorative signs reflect the actual name of the road. The commemorative signs (i) shall be affixed to a sign pole installed at each end of the block designated in section 1 of this ordinance for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements of this section or to any existing sign identifying the block designated in section 1 of this ordinance located at each end of the block designated in section 1 of this ordinance and (ii) shall bear the name “Oliver Hill Drive,” as set forth in section 1 of this ordinance.
§ 4. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.