By Jan Gaillard Correspondent   Wide-eyed youngsters lined up by flashlight up in front of Jill Blake in the darkened Plaza Elementary School gymnasium.

By Barbara J. Woerner Correspondent Princess Anne The Village Church looked inside itself and saw a need to mentor and tutor students. Out of that, a larger vision of concern for students inspired it to host a forum themed "Young African American Males; Challenges and Choices."

Hugo A. Owens Sr. knew his friend meant well, but that wasn’t the point. Back in the 1950s, Owens’ children had gone to the white library in downtown Portsmouth for a book. The black children were shooed out. Owens had lived with segregation, but he was still furious. A white friend tried to pacify: “Whenever your children need books, let me know, I’ll get them.”

By Sandra J. Pennecke Correspondent Although Nathaniel Turner died almost two centuries ago, his name lives beyond slavery. "The name of Nat Turner was supposed to be removed from history forever, but this effort failed," said paternal great-, great-, great-grandson Bruce Turner, one of the featured speakers during Kempsville High School 's Black History Month observance.

By Amy Coutee The Virginian-Pilot NORFOLK Like all good teachers do, Patricia Turner starts her story at the beginning: The Massive Resistance and the Norfolk 17.

NORFOLK Like all good teachers do, Patricia Turner starts her story at the beginning: The Massive Resistance and the Norfolk 17. “Becoming the Norfolk 17 was not an easy job,” she said as more than 100 people crammed into the Norfolk United Methodist Church fellowship hall Sunday for her Heritage Day talk, which marked the end of the church’s Black History Month events.

Sam Nixon was a slave-turned-dentist-turned-freedom fighter-turned politician. He also was an unabashed braggart, says Norfolk State University historian Tommy Bogger. Nixon might have had good reason.

HAD SHE BEEN a man, Ella Baker's name might be as recognizable as Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X.

The city's most visible cheerleader, Mayor James W. Holley III, has been named the 70th First Citizen of Portsmouth. The announcement comes just as he is launching a campaign for another term in office. A kickoff for his campaign was held Friday at the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel in the Holley Ballroom IV.