Street Knowledge: Local leaders honored with signs

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

A ceremony to unveil an honorary street sign recognizing the late Richmond religious leader Dr. Paul Nichols will take place noon Friday, April 14, at 28th and R streets.

The unveiling of the Dr. Paul Nichols Way sign will take place beside Good Shepherd Baptist Church, which he led as pastor for 29 years before his death in 1990 while also serving as dean of Virginia Union University’s School of Theology and holding other posts.

The event is one of several such ceremonies, including the most recent one on April 6 at 36th and R streets that unveiled the sign honoring Harold “Jug” Harris, the legendary coach and mentor at the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club located next to the intersection.

Mr. Harris, currently the health and fitness coordinator, has been with the club for 40 years, touching the lives of thousands of youths, as a bio noted, as a “teacher, parent, counselor, motivator, bus driver, disciplinarian and any other role that is needed to be filled on any given day.” He began working with Richmond’s youths in the early 1970s.

The Army National Guard veteran also is the former coach of the Maggie Walker High School boys’ basketball team and the Armstrong High School girls’ basketball team, as well as other teams.

Milestones