RICHMOND, Va. — Public service is deeply connects Martin Brown and John Paige, not just through their careers but through family heritage.
Brown serves as the chief diversity officer in the Youngkin administration, while Paige holds a position as a Norfolk city councilman.
The two cousins are also great-great-grandsons of Richard G.L. Paige, one of Virginia's first Black lawmakers in the General Assembly.
"We're standing on the work that he did, the sacrifices that he made," Brown said. "He left a legacy of faith and a legacy of hard work."
His sentiments were echoed by Paige, who remarked, "There's nothing like being in a place that your ancestors contributed to."
Their ancestor, Richard G.L. Paige, escaped slavery in Norfolk and briefly lived in Boston before returning to Virginia, where he was elected to the House of Delegates in 1871.
"He didn't have to come back to a place that was not welcoming, but he did, and he came to lead the rest of Norfolk and the community and our family," Brown said highlighting his great-great-grandfather's courage.
Paige reflected on the challenge.
"Just knowing that he was able to do it in a day when it had to have been 10 times, if not multiples of 10 times harder than it is for us today to be involved," he said.
The legacy of Richard G.L. Paige and other Black lawmakers from the Reconstruction era was honored during a recent General Assembly session at a bipartisan event titled "Out of the Shadows."
Delegate Delores McQuinn (D-Henrico) took part in the celebration.
"These important and iconic leaders are a real testament to perseverance, determination, and motivation," she said.
Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-Virginia) noted the significance of the contributions.
"One hundred men bravely entered public service, two-thirds of whom had been born into slavery at a time just after the war to end slavery. And they stood strong," the governor said.
The stories of these trailblazers are now part of a new display at the Virginia State Capitol, which incorporates personal archives from House Speaker Don Scott, the first Black person to serve in that role.
"I know I carry the weight of their sacrifices every day. I'm profoundly aware that I walk on the shoulders of these giants," Scott shared. "We know we have success when you're not the first anymore. I understand my responsibilities and make sure we have a second and a third and a fourth."
Brown and Paige described the recent event as historic, moving, and meaningful, further reinforcing the enduring impact of their great-great-grandfather's legacy in Virginia politics.
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