RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Resources and the Library of Virginia commemorated the leadership and accomplishments of seven outstanding African Americans during the fifth annual "Strong Men & Women in Virginia History" awards program on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, at the Richmond Marriott.

The program honors prominent African Americans, past and present, who have made significant contributions to the Commonwealth.

"For the young man or woman who has big dreams of being a writer, a newscaster or a judge, we have great role models to inspire future generations in this year's honorees," said Mark Webb, senior vice president, Corporate Affairs and Chief Legal Officer at Dominion. "It's an honor to recognize these men and women for their strong leadership and accomplishments that have made our communities better for all."  Dominion Resources is the parent company of Dominion Virginia Power and sponsor of the annual series.

"Each year, the men and women honored through the Strong Men and Women program are individuals of outstanding merit and accomplishment – and the 2017 honorees are no exception," said Dr. Sandra G. Treadway, Librarian of Virginia.  "The Library of Virginia is proud to partner with Dominion in highlighting the achievements of African American Virginians, past and present, who serve as inspiration to us all." 

The following honorees were recognized:

• William E. Bailey – aviation pioneer and philanthropist, Accomac
• Charles Spurgeon Johnson* – sociologist, author and educator, Bristol
• The Honorable Benjamin J. Lambert III* – optometrist and legislator, Richmond
• The Honorable Mary Bennett Malveaux – judge –Virginia Court of Appeals, Henrico
• Leonard "Doc" Muse – pharmacist and community leader, Arlington
• Stephanie T. Rochon-Moten* – news anchor and cancer awareness advocate, Richmond
• Margaret Ellen Mayo Tolbert, Ph.D. – scientist, educator and author, Suffolk
  *Posthumous honor

Four high school students also were recognized during the ceremony. Each wrote winning essays, selected from nearly 200 entries, about the importance of helping others. 

The winners of the 2017 "Strong Men & Women in Virginia History" student essay writing contest are:

• Meenakshi Balan – Thomas Jefferson HS for Science and Technology, Fairfax County
• Hunter Davis – Gate City High School, Scott County
• Indya Gipson – Nansemond River High School, Suffolk County
• Grace Lu – Douglas S. Freeman High School, Henrico County

Each student received an Apple MacBook Air laptop and $1,000 for their school. Winning essays and program details, as well as photos and videos of the event are posted on www.lva.virginia.gov/smw.

About Dominion

Dominion (NYSE: D) is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 26,400 megawatts of generation, 14,600 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline, and 6,600 miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion operates one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems with 1 trillion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves more than 6 million utility and retail energy customers. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com.

About the Library of Virginia

The Library of Virginia (www.lva.virginia.gov), located in historic downtown Richmond, holds the world's most extensive collection of material about the Old Dominion and has been a steward of the commonwealth's documentary and printed heritage since 1823. The story of Virginia and Virginians has been told in many ways since 1607. At the Library of Virginia it is told through more than 119 million manuscripts and nearly 2.5 million books, serials, bound periodicals, microfilm reels, newspapers and state and federal documents, each an individual tile in the vast and colorful mosaic of Virginia's experience.

SOURCE Dominion Resources