Dr. Benjamin J. Lambert, III
Photo Credit: Virginia Changemakers, Library of Virginia
About Richmond's Honorary Street Name Designations
Honorary street names can be found throughout Richmond, and are intended to memorialize individuals for their civic, cultural, humanitarian, or historically significant contributions to the Richmond Community. These designations typically apply to a portion of a street, such as a city block, and are designated by Richmond City Council via the passing of an Ordinance. Honorary street names do not replace the existing name of a street and do not require an alteration to maps or addresses.
Dr. Benjamin J. Lambert, III
Born in Richmond on January 29, 1937, Dr. Benjamin Joseph Lambert, III was an optometrist and community leader who, after entering politics, served for more than three decades in the Virginia General Assembly (the first optometrist ever to serve in that legislative body).
After establishing his optometry practice in Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood in 1962, Dr. Lambert began getting involved in numerous community organizations. In 1977, Dr. Lambert was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, where he served until 1985. In that year, he won a special election to succeed L. Douglas Wilder in the Senate of Virginia upon Wilder’s election to the office of Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Dr. Lambert held the Senate of Virginia seat until 2008, notably becoming the first African American in the 20th Century to serve on the Virginia Senate Finance Committee. He also served on the Education and Health, General Laws and Technology, and Privileges and Elections committees during his tenure.
As a legislator, Dr. Lambert was widely recognized for his willingness to bridge party lines and his coalition-building efforts. Passionate about providing educational opportunities for all Virginians, Dr. Lambert served as chair of the Brown v. Board of Education Scholarship Awards Committee, which sought to assist persons whose education had been hampered by the closing of schools in the era of massive resistance to desegregation.
Throughout his life, Dr. Lambert was active in civic, educational, business, and professional activities, working for groups like the Crusade for Voters and the NAACP, serving on the advisory boards of many organizations, including Sallie Mae, Dominion Resources, and Sheltering Arms Hospital, among others. He was recognized with several awards and accolades, including the Outstanding Young Man Award by the Richmond Jaycees in 1972, the Virginia Optometrist of the Year Award in 1980, and the National Conference of Christians and Jews Humanitarian Award in 1993.
Dr. Benjamin Joseph Lambert, III died on March 2, 2014, at age 77.
Designation Area:
The 900 block of North First Street has been given the honorary designation of Dr. Benjamin J. Lambert, III OD Way.
Download the Council Ordinance:
Learn more about this Honorary Street Designation by downloading a copy of the legislation. The Council Ordinance below is in PDF format:
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