Clarence Lee Townes, Jr.
Photo Credit: Richmond Free Press
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.
Clarence Lee Townes, Jr.
A prominent figure in Richmond’s civic, education, and business communities, Clarence Lee Townes, Jr. is remembered for his contributions to the well-being of the city of Richmond and beyond as an advocate for equal opportunity.
Born in Richmond on January 21, 1928, and educated in Richmond Public Schools, Clarence Lee Townes, Jr. went on to attend Virginia Union University. After graduating, he served in the U. S. Army during the Korean War. Upon his return to Richmond, he began working in the insurance industry.
In 1965, Clarence Lee Townes, Jr. ran for an open seat in the Virginia General Assembly. Even though he lost the election, Mr. Townes garnered attention within the Republican Party. Later that year, he helped organize the National Negro Republican Assembly and served as its treasurer. Soon after, Mr. Townes was selected by the Republican National Committee to direct minority outreach programs for the Republican Party.
In 1970, Clarence Lee Townes, Jr. helped found the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and served as director of governmental affairs. The Joint Center is a nonpartisan organization focused on public policies that have a positive impact on people of color and their communities across the nation. Founded as the Joint Center for Political Studies, the organization initially aimed to provide training and technical assistance to newly elected Black officials, and has expanded its focus to include job creation, workforce development, and other socio-economic issues.
Mr. Townes was a founding member of Richmond Renaissance – now known as Venture Richmond – an organization focused on connecting business and community leaders with the city’s government for economic development and revitalization efforts. Mr. Townes served as deputy director of the organization throughout the 1980s and executive director from 1991 until 1998. During his tenure, Richmond Renaissance was involved with the revitalization of Richmond’s riverfront (notably the Richmond Canal Walk), development of the Sixth Street Marketplace, and the creation of annual citywide events such as the Second Street Festival.
Clarence Lee Townes, Jr. also served on the boards of numerous community organizations, including the Metropolitan Richmond Convention and Visitors Bureau, now known as Richmond Region Tourism; Howard University’s Joint Center for Political Affairs, providing guidance to newly-elected black officials; the Richmond Public Schools Board of Trustees (before its seats were elected by the public); the Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors; the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority; and other governmental, educational, and private organizations.
Clarence Lee Townes, Jr., died on January 11, 2017, just shy of his 89th birthday.
Designation Area:
The 3100 block of Hawthorne Avenue has been given the honorary designation of Clarence Lee Townes, Jr. 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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