William Frank Newton (Born January 4, 1906, Died March 11, 1954) was a jazz musician and artist from Emory, Virginia. He accompanied Bessie Smith on her final recordings in November 24, 1933, Maxine Sullivan on Loch Lomond, and Billie Holiday on her original Strange Fruit session in 1939.
Dr. Bascom Slemp Waugh (Born December 9, 1908, Died September 18, 1992) was born in Glade Spring, Virginia. He was a Physician and Flight Surgeon for the famed 332nd Fighter Group, the Tuskegee Airmen.
Landon Boyd (Born September 15, 1838, Died November 10, 1899) was born into slavery. He was a brick mason in Abingdon, Virginia who served in the U.S. Army during the Civil War. In May 1867, he served on the petit jury which was to have tried former Confederate President Jefferson Davis for treason. He served on the Richmond City Council from 1872 to 1873.
Frank Trigg Jr. (Born 1851, Died April 21, 1933) was born into slavery in Richmond, Virginia, where his parents were the personal servants of Governor John B. Floyd. He lost an arm in a farming accident when he was young and his interests turned to education. During his academic career, he was President of colleges in Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina.
Dr. Harold Leonard Trigg (Born December 15, 1893, Died August 29, 1978) was the son of Frank Trigg, Jr. He was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, and followed in his father's footsteps becoming an esteemed educator and academic leader. Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Trigg was appointed by North Carolina Governor Kerr Scott as the first African American member of the State Board of Education. He was also appointed as first African American president of St. Augustine’s College.