January 25, 2025
Henry Marsh III, First Black Mayor Of Richmond, Dies At 91
Marsh, born and raised in Richmond, had an elementary school named after him in 2020.
Henry Marsh III, the first Black Mayor of Richmond, Virginia, died on Jan. 23; following his death, Marsh was described by community leaders in the city and state as “the heart of Richmond” and “a truly exceptional person.”
According to WTVR, the 91-year-old Marsh III served as Richmond’s mayor from 1977 until 1982 and served in the Virginia General Assembly from 1992 until 2014.
Marsh, born and raised in Richmond, had an elementary school named after him in 2020 when the Richmond School Board voted to rename George Mason Elementary School in his honor to Henry L. Marsh Elementary.
Richmond’s NAACP President, JJ Minor III, released a statement honoring Marsh after his death, one of many that sought to contextualize his life.
“Henry Marsh was more than a leader; he was the heart of Richmond—a towering figure among civil rights activists and a steadfast advocate for change,” Minor III said in a statement. “His life’s work serves as a powerful reminder of what courage and determination can achieve. Though he is gone from our sight, his legacy endures. His footsteps are indelibly etched in the sands of time, and his contributions will forever shape the fabric of Richmond and beyond.”
United States Senator Tim Kaine, a one-time Democratic presidential candidate, issued a lengthy statement regarding Marsh and his contributions to the state’s leadership.
“My heart is heavy with grief and full of gratitude that I had the chance to know Henry Marsh—a truly exceptional person. A born-and-raised Richmonder who become active in the civil rights movement before he even graduated from Maggie L. Walker High School, Henry never waited even for a moment to do all he could to serve and improve his community,” Sen. Kaine said.
Kaine continued, “After he graduated from Virginia Union University, earned a law degree from Howard University, and answered the call to serve in the United States Army, he returned home to work as a civil rights lawyer—tackling crucial cases relating to desegregation and equality in employment. He then made history as Richmond’s first African American mayor. As a former mayor myself, I know how tough that job is and have the deepest appreciation and admiration for how well he did it.”
Kaine concluded, “Any single one of Henry’s accomplishments would be enough cause to be proud, but he never stopped looking for new opportunities to serve. I’m honored to have called him a friend and mentor and would never have been elected to any office if it weren’t for him. I will be praying for his family and all who knew and loved him.”
According to WRIC, Richmond’s City Council, to which Marsh was elected to in 1966 and served as its vice mayor from 1970 until 1977 when he was elected Richmond’s mayor, issued its own statement praising Marsh as a sentinel of justice.
“Senator Marsh was a true hero and champion for racial justice, equality, and inclusion and his work as a lifelong advocate and trailblazer for our community, region, and Commonwealth will forever serve as a stalwart sentinel and inspiration for generations to come,” the city council said.
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