CHARLES CITY CIVIC LEAGUE, INC.
Welcome and thank you for visiting with us today!
Welcome to Charles City Civic League, Inc. organized in 1954!
The Charles City Civic League, Inc. was organized in 1954 to support voter registration, health, education and to address needs within the community.
Current Members of the Executive Board are:
Executive Director - Sherri Bowman
Chairperson - Brenda Jones Cotman
Vice Chairperson - Beverly A. Washington
Secretary - Denise Burrell Smith
Members are:
Byron Adkins
Sylvia Bradby Christian
Yvonne Smith-Jones
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Email: cccivicleague@outlook.com
Please donate and make check payable to:
Charles City Civic League, Inc.
FED: 51-02049647
Address:
Charles City Civic League
P.O. Box 111
Ruthville, VA 23147
Edward Trent Banks
Organizer of the Charles City Civic League, Inc.
History of the Charles City County Medical Center
Edward Trent Banks (April 13, 1886 – October 16, 1956)
The First Negro Political Activist- Organizer of the Charles City Civic League
History of the Charles City Civic League
Mr. Banks was a civic minded individual. He worked to bring the separate district clubs, organizations
and leagues together. Edward wanted to achieve reciprocal intercourse of effort and activity for mutual
well-being and progress. In 1927, he was elected president of the civic organization. By 1944, this
organization was having regular monthly meetings which were welcomed beacons of light to the eager
open-minded people of the county. Under his leadership, the number of registered Negro voters increased. He won a seat on the Charles City Board of Supervisors in 1951. Edward Trent Banks officially organized the Charles City Civic League in 1954. He was married to the schoolteacher, Mrs. Cordelia Franklin Banks. He was a civil rights activist in Charles City County. He was a Deacon in the Elam Baptist Church in Ruthville and best friend to Deacon Floyd Carter from the Parrish Hill Baptist Church. Today, he
leaves a nephew, Edward Funn living in Charles City County and nieces Grace Ann in California and
Delores Funn Law in Delaware. (Nina Christian Burrell, cousin and family friend - living in Texas - August 2023)
Charles City County is a rural area with a population of approximately 6,000 citizens and one physician.
The nearest hospital or clinic is thirty miles away.
For several years the Charles City Civic League tried to interest young doctors in setting up practice in
Charles City County. Attempts to persuade a doctor to set up practice in the county were unsuccessful
because the citizens had no facility to offer as a place to begin practice. In a meeting of the Charles City County Civic League, January 5, 1970, members of the League were informed that one of our senior citizens, Mr. Lewis W. Tyler, was interested in donating a piece of land for the purpose of building a medical center. A motion was made and seconded that the land be accepted and that we begin making plans to build a medical center. Members of the planning committee were: Almeda Tyler, Richard Bowman, Charles Bowman, Joseph L. Tyree, Jr. Ester Black, Louise Black, Sarah Charity and Bernice Tyree.
The planning committee acquainted other citizens with the proposed project. Many of the citizens joined
the committee, helped to make plans and participated in various activities to implement plans for the
building. The original committee was divided into two committees, namely, Ways and Means, chaired by
Almeda Tyler and Building Committee, chaired by Wilbur T. Jones.
The Planning Committee was requested to have the property re-zoned. This request was granted and fund
raising began. The deed conveying the property to the Civic League was signed by Mr. and Mrs. Lewis
W. Tyler in June 1970. The original deed stipulated that the property would revert to the Tyler family, if
or when it ceased to be used for charitable purposes.
Realizing that we planned to finance the building by money raising activities, monetary donations and
some donated labor, we saw the need to become incorporated. Proposed bylaws were presented and
adopted. The certificate of incorporation was issued and recorded in the office of the State Corporation
Commission August 7, 1970, Medical Center Day was held August 31, 1971. Pageants, rallies and other
fund-raising activities have been sponsored and contributions, large and small, have been made to benefit this much needed facility.
Continued efforts were made to secure tax exempt status, and for long-time efforts failed. Some of the
active members became inactive, but the faithful few kept the faith, kept working and were joined by
other members who worked diligently to complete the project. The deed to the property was revised and
signed by Mr. Lewis W. Tyler and his wife, Mrs. Pearl B. Tyler on March 19, 1976. Commonwealth Attorney B. Randolph Boyd, a member of the Charles City County Civic League, Inc., agreed to serve as our legal advisor and was instrumental in helping us to qualify as a nonprofit, charitable organization in
1977.
Many of the citizens, whose names are too numerous to mention, have given of their time by donating
labor, materials, funds and supporting fund raising activities in order to make the Medical Center a
reality. The officers and members of the Charles City County Civic League, Inc. are indeed grateful to
the donors of the land, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis W. Tyler, President, Alfred W. Charity, Sr., Ways and Means
Committee Chairman, Almeda Tyler, Building Committee chairman, Issac Cotman, Board of Directors Chairman, Byron Adkins, and all of the members who have given of their time and effort in building this
facility.
After nine years of working to build a medical center and no way to pay as we go, we are thankful that the
building is near completion and ready to be occupied and staffed. The structure is a 64 X 36' cinderblock building with a brick front and is located at the intersections of highways #618 and #620. The building contains 23,004 square feet of floor space and consists of a reception area, waiting room, a dentist office, doctor's office, two examining rooms, meeting rooms, furnace room and restroom. Plumbing, wiring, also a heating and cooling system have been installed. Certain basic equipment has been purchased with the use of funds appropriated by the Charles City County Board of Supervisors.
Fellow citizens and friends are cordially invited to attend the Open House of the Medical Center of
Charles City County Civic League, Inc. on November 17, 1979. The parade will commence at Charles
City Elementary School, Route 609 and end at the Medical Center. Greeting and Open House will
follow.
Officers:
Alfred Charity, Sr. President
John C. White, Vice President
Louise Black Miles, Recording Secretary
Joyce C. Bradby, corresponding Secretary
Juanita B. Washington, Membership Secretary
Harmon White, Treasurer
Sandy O. Trower, Chaplain
Directors:
Byron M. Adkins, Chairman
Mattie Trower
Almeda Tyler
Joseph L. Tyree, Jr.
Griselda R. Taylor
Robert L. Taylor
Louise Black Miles
B. Randolph Boyd, Legal Advisor
UPCOMING WOMEN WARRIORS!
Upcoming Women - Willing, Working Warriors with Delegate Delores L. McQuinn Let's get busy!
About Charles City Civic League
Charles City Civic League, Inc. Salutes WOMEN - WILLING, WORKING WARRIORS!
The Charles City Civic League, Inc. is honored to support county initiatives and promote endeavors in enhancing positive quality of life. Many ancestors have established and added to the advancement of a rural county nestled in the midst of Virginia's Cap to Cap Capital Trail. As residents and visitors ride through the county, historical markers and destinations capture the attention of History. Therefore, let's recognize some revered hidden women who are living in Charles City today, volunteering on boards, committees, commissions for over 40 plus years, or had a prominent leadership role in the county during that time. These are our Women - Willing Working Warriors.
Doris Banks
Edna Bates
Sherri Bowman
Julia Boyd
Cecelia Wynn Bradby
Joyce Cotman Bradby
Mindy Bradby
Helen Braxton
Marian Christian
Ruth Christian
Sylvia Bradby Christian
Ridgely Copland
Brenda Jones Cotman
Barbara Charity Crawley
Janet Carter Crawley
Maggie Payne Edwards
Barbara Hayes
Doris Hollimon
Audrey Holmes
Edith Holmes
Yvonne Smith-Jones
Judith Ledbetter
Elaine Rhodes
Darryl Robertson
Elenora Robinson
Denise Burrell Smith
Vanessa Taylor Holland
Almeda Tyler
Doris Wade
Jacqueline Wallace
Recognition of Service to Charles City CouNTY-April 24, 2024
Denise Burrell Smith
Charles City's Board of Supervisors and state representatives recognized three former county contributors during Tuesday night's regular board meeting. Denise Burrell Smith was recognized for 42 years of service as the first African-American woman to serve as Commissioner of Revenue in the State of Virginia. Gilbert Smith and Bill Coada were also reconized for their years of service to Charles City County.
Gilbert Smith
Bill Coada
Mentor of the Year - Dr. Yvonne Smith-Jones
Women Education Leaders in Virginia
We are absolutely thrilled to extend our warmest congratulations to you on receiving the prestigious 2024 Mentor award from Women Education Leaders in Virginia. Your remarkable dedication, leadership, and passion for education have not only been recognized but celebrated among peers and professionals in the field.
Your tireless efforts in advocating for education and empowering others have made an indelible impact, inspiring countless individuals and contributing significantly to the advancement of educational initiatives in our community. Your commitment to excellence sets a shining example for all of us to follow.
As you are a founder of WELV, it is truly an honor to witness your continued success and to celebrate this momentous occasion with you. May the Mentor Award serve as a reminder of your exceptional contributions and inspire you to continue making a difference in the lives of others.
Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, 2024 Mentor Award recipient. You are an inspiration to us all, and we are confident that your future endeavors will continue to lead and uplift those around you.
Warm regards,
WELV Executive Board
THE 14TH ANNUAL LEMON PROJECT SPRING SYMPOSIUM MARCH 2024
WHY LEMON?
The Project is named for Lemon, a man who was once enslaved by William & Mary. Though he was, legally, the property of the College, his relationship with the university was complex and often ambiguous. As an enslaved man in Virginia, he owned neither his work nor his own person. But he grew and sold produce to the College, and received a monetary Christmas bonus from the faculty at least once. Even from scant evidence, we can tell that Lemon was an actor on the stage of history, using ingenuity to help mitigate the circumstances of his enslavement.
Education Stories of Twentieth Century Virginia
Moderator: Dr. Alexis Swanson
Dr. Yvonne Smith-Jones, Mrs. Denise Smith, and Mrs. Brenda Jones Cotman, “Reclaiming the Gifts of the One-Room Schoolhouse in telling the Back Story of Black Political Activism in Charles City, Virginia”
As Black people in Charles City, Virginia heal from being second class citizens, knowing the history of the trailblazers is vital in understanding the “who” and “why” as the county moves forward. In 1959, Ebony magazine identified Charles City as “Virginia’s Model County” in Black political activism. Emphasis will be placed on the prime movers from the 1940s to 60s. This session will unfold the narrative of how community builders struggled and strived to pave the path to helping future generations become the receivers of the opportunities. These presenters will reveal the narrative with visualizations, artifacts and engage in a Questioning and Answering period. The impact of the trailblazers resulted in a highway marker erected on October 15, 2023. Let’s Build Communities.
March - 2024
Women History Month
Fourth Congressman District Women of Excellence 2024@vademocrats.org - The Honorable Sherri Bowman!
Richmond Free Press - Darlene M. Johnson - 2/15/2024, 6.p.m.
Community bands together to renovate Charles City’s historic Mt. Zion School
Community bands together to renovate Charles City’s historic Mt. Zion School
Community bands together to renovate Charles City’s historic Mt. Zion School
A tarp covers part of the roof of an abandoned building on Route 623 in Charles City County. Underneath the tarp, clear plastic drapes a weathered window, perhaps to further shield the decaying wood structure from elements endured nearly 110 years.
Bricks and cinderblocks are the foundation for the building’s wobbly steps and landing. An open door next to the entry reveals a small pile of abandoned firewood. A “No Trespassing” sign hangs on another door.
Inside the building are exposed beams and pieces of sheetrock littering the floor. A lone church pew sits in the rear on one side of the structure.
When the Mt. Zion School, formerly known as the Mica School, opened in 1915, firewood was used to warm the one-room schoolhouse that educated African-American students in grades one through five.
Funds to build the school included a contribution from philanthropist Julius Rosenwald.
Inspired by Booker T. Washington, the renowned Black author, educator and leader, Mr. Rosenwald wanted to change the racial disparities in education. He formed the Julius Rosenwald Fund, which brought educational opportunities to African-American and rural communities in Southern states between 1917-1932. The
Mt. Zion School was built with a contribution of $450 from the local Black community, $300 from the public and $250 from Mr. Rosenwald, according to records from Fisk University.
About 20 students attended the school per term, said members of the Historic Mt. Zion School Foundation of Charles City. The group is raising money to restore and preserve the schoolhouse.
During a meeting last October at the neighboring Mt. Zion Church, several foundation members shared their memories of the school and its teachers.
Over the years, Mt. Zion school had two prominent teachers, Hattie Wallace and Mamie Edloe, along with other assistant teachers, said James Marrow, the president of the board of trustees for the Historic Mt. Zion School Foundation of Charles City.
Back then, their teachers “had no problem” disciplining their pupils, including corporal punishment if necessary, the foundation members recalled.
“She didn’t play,” said one foundation member. “From day one you respected her. But we were taught to respect our elders.”
Mr. Marrow said that he, his mother and siblings were taught by Ms. Edloe.
“(Ms. Edloe) taught my sisters and my brothers. I was the last one to come through,” added Sylvia Christian, the foundation’s grant writer. “I was the baby in the family. She taught me in second grade.”
Other members in attendance, recalled having to “make our own fun,” during recess by raking leaves, jumping rope and playing kickball.
Despite having second-hand desks and books with missing pages, Mt. Zion’s students were engaged and learned.
Eventually, the Mt. Zion School and other one- and two-room schoolhouses were “discontinued” by the Charles City County School Board, said Nancy Phaup, coordinator of archival collections at the Richard M. Bowman Center for Local History in Charles City. The Mt. Zion School was officially discontinued in June 1951, but it could have been closed as early as 1949.
Students were transferred to Ruthville High School, which had an elementary school component, Ms. Phaup said.
After Brown vs. Board of Education outlawed segregation in the 1950s, and integration ensued in the decades after, these one-teacher schoolhouses were slowly repurposed into community centers. The Mt. Zion Baptist Church, which is across the street from the school, used the Mt. Zion School for functions such as club meetings, cookouts, fish frys and fundraisers, said Hancy Hatchett, a deaconess at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
Charles City County Public Schools officially integrated in the late 1960s, about a decade after Mt. Zion shut down, Ms. Phaup said. Over the years, many of the tiny schoolhouses were abandoned and left to deteriorate, despite their historical significance. This is the case with the Mt. Zion School.
“It’s been in a period of decline,” Mr. Marrow said.
In an effort to preserve one of the three remaining Rosenwald schools, the Historic Mt. Zion School Foundation of Charles City is working to get the schoolhouse on the National Register of Historic Places. This designation as a historic site will ease the grant application process, Mr. Marrow said.
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources approved the preliminary application form, which is an indication that the process will go well, Ms. Phaup said. The department is expected to render its decision to the Historic Mt. Zion School Foundation of Charles City by May 2024.
Mt. Zion alumni have gotten into the act. Nine former students congregated at the schoolhouse in 2021, around the same time the Historic Mt. Zion School Foundation of Charles City was established, to share memories and discuss the ways their beloved school can stay intact. The foundation meets on the second Sunday of each month to stay updated, Ms. Christian said.
“I think this school has been long overlooked,” Ms. Christian said. “We still have [community] members that attended that schoolhouse. They are very much interested in keeping it within the community like it was built. It means more than just renovating the building.”
Hancy Hatchett, the Rev. George Magazine, Nancy Phaup, Prince Wallace, Sylvia Bradby Christian, James Marrow, Melinda Brown and Gwen Christian stand at the former Mt. Zion School, which many of their ancestors attended.
Fundraising intensified in the last quarter of 2023, Ms. Christian said. An estimated $250,000 is needed to restore the school, she said. The foundation began repairs to the roof and covered the windows to prevent further damage, costing around $1,000, Mr. Marrow said. Other repairs needed include flooring and bathroom renovations.
Foundation officials said the schoolhouse needs to be “presentable” before the group can move forward with other plans, making restoration of the schoolhouse structure a top priority.
After restoring the school, the foundation hopes to use it as a place of tourism with “a lot of history inside,” like a museum, Ms. Christian said. The foundation also wants to create a website to complement the schoolhouse.
Ultimately, the foundation hopes to add on to the schoolhouse and have it function as an education or community center, Ms. Christian said. “There’s so much rich history behind it. We want to use it as an educational platform; not just for the community, but for everyone,” she said.
Caroline Reinhart contributed to this article.
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Please donate and make check payable to:
Mt. Zion School Foundation
EIN: 88-2059777
Address:
Mica/Mt. Zion Schoolhouse
11570 Wilcox Neck Road
Charles City, VA 23030
Community bands together to renovate Charles City’s historic Mt. Zion School
Community bands together to renovate Charles City’s historic Mt. Zion School
Rev. George Magazine, Prince Wallace and James Marrow stand in the abandoned Mt. Zion School in Charles City County. They are members of the Historic Mt. Zion School Foundation of Charles City that is seeking to restore and preserve the school.
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Please donate and make check payable to:
Mica/Mt. Zion Schoolhouse
EIN: 88-2059777
Address:
Mica/Mt. Zion Schoolhouse
11570 Wilcox Neck Road
Charles City, VA 23030
Community bands together to renovate Charles City’s historic Mt. Zion School
Hancy Hatchett, the Rev. George Magazine, Nancy Phaup, Prince Wallace, Sylvia Bradby Christian, James Marrow, Melinda Brown and Gwen Christian stand at the former Mt. Zion School, which many of their ancestors attended.
Serving Your Government Needs
Chaplain Brandon Boyd Greene at The Senate
Chaplain Brandon Boyd Greene, U.S. Navy, son of Charles and Glenda Greene, Charles City, VA, currently stationed at the U.S. Marine Barracks, Washington DC; delivers the opening invocation prayer before the U.S. Senate, on November 15, 2023 at the celebration of the 248th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps. This celebration also included the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon and the annual cake cutting ceremony.
Charles City County - historical highway marker
Community Builders for Advancement
Photo: Richard Bowman Center per Judith Ledbetter, 10/15/2023 Virginia Gazette News
Black Political Activism in
Charles City, Virginia
The dedication of a new highway marker in Charles City, Virginia to
honor the founder of Black Activism in the county, Edward “Ned” Trent
Banks was installed on Sunday, October 15, 2023. He organized and
found the Charles City Civic League and NAACP. His great nephew,
Mr. James Edward Banks was present. Current Presidents of the Civic
League and NAACP were included in the photo, Mrs. Brenda Jones
Cotman and Mr. Donald Charity.
VOTING NOVEMBER 7, 2023
VOTING SEASON - 2023 MAKE A PLAN!
Early Voting Started September 22, 2023
Request an Absentee Ballot (If Needed)
Vote on November 7, 2023
VOING 2023
Charles City County - CANDIDATE FORUM
Charles City Civic League, Inc. donated a Dedicated Room to the Charles City Branch of the Heritage Library - 2023
CONGRATULATIONS!!
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Democratic Del. Lamont Bagby handily won a special election Tuesday, March 28, 2023 to fill the open Richmond-based Virginia Senate seat previously held by Jennifer McClellan.
VOTING
Charles City County Votes...
Voter Registration, General Registrar & Elections/Charles City County VA
Physical Address:
10900 Courthouse Road
Charles City, VA 23030
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 145
Charles City, VA 23030
Telephone Number: 804-652-4606
March 21, 2023 - by 4:30 PM in-person or 11:59 PM online, is the deadline to register or update existing voter registration.
March 17, 2023 - by 4:30 PM in-person and 5 PM online, is the deadline to apply for a mail-in absentee ballot.
March 18, 2023 - from 8:00 am to 5 pm is the first Saturday the Registrar’s Office will be open for early in-person voting.
March 25, 2023 - from 8:00 am to 5 pm is the last day for early in-person voting.
March 28, 2023 - ELECTION DAY! Voting is taking place from 6 am to 7 pm at your designated polling place.
Voting - Charles City County-2023
Site Content
Congratulations! Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan
History - Voting Rights Restored to Citizen - 2012
Voting Rights
Brenda Jones Cotman takes a photo of Bennett Barbour after he voted for the first time at Charles City Social Center. Bennett and Alexandra Meador point to his sticker says that he has voted. Joining them are Bennett's sisters Dale Crawley (left) and Maureen Barbour (right) and his mother Dorothy Barbour (middle). Brenda graduated from Charles City High School with Bennett in 1976.
