Photo courtesy of the City of Alexandria
Earl F. Lloyd
Earl F. Lloyd paved the way for African Americans in professional basketball and now his hometown will recognize his achievements by adding an honorific name to the 1000 block of Montgomery Street.
“We are honoring a son of Alexandria, someone who made some very, very significant contributions to our nation and we are proud to do so. This is the beginning of a couple of opportunities to honor Earl Lloyd that we have underway,” Mayor Justin Wilson said at the City Council’s Oct 17 meeting.
Lloyd grew up in segregated public housing in Alexandria and attended segregated City schools, graduating from Parker-Gray High School in 1946, before playing basketball at West Virginia State on an athletic scholarship. In 1950, Lloyd was one of three African Americans drafted into the NBA. After a 10-year playing career, he became the first black coach in the NBA.
The honorific street name was brought before the City by the Alexandria African American Hall of Fame. It is supported by the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) and the City’s GIS, Fire and Police departments. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended the honorific street name which was then approved by the City Council at Saturday’s meeting.
The honorific name change will not affect the mailing addresses of residents on the block, but will be added to signage in the area, similar to Parker-Gray Way on Wythe Street. Cost for the project is estimated at $600.
Photo courtesy of the City of Alexandria
