VIRGINIA BEACH — The City Council recognized the late E. George Minns, the civil rights and community activist, for his passionate support of the historic Seatack community and advocacy for a better, fairer Virginia Beach.
Minns died in July following an illness, leaving behind loved ones and friends and a long history of leadership in civil rights and community matters. He was 66.
He served as president of the Virginia Beach branch of the NAACP from 1987 to 1997, leading the organization amid challenging times for race relations here, including the Greekfest riots. He also served for eight years, until 2018, as president of the Seatack Civic League, and he was iunstrumental in the creation of the Virginia Beach Human Right Commission and the Virginia Beach Minority Business Council.
The New Journal & Guide’s Leonard E. Colvin reported that Minn’s grandfather had been a founding member of the Princess Anne County NAACP, which became the Virginia Beach NAACP. Colvin added: “He was known best for his work to make sure that the Seatack community in Virginia Beach, where he was born and raised, was respected and recalled in local and national history books.”
Andrew Jackson, a friend of Minn’s, said Minns was known for work in Seatack but would help anyone who sought him out. “If there was something he felt they were wronged by, George would stand up for them,” Jackson said.
The resolution passed unanimously on Tuesday, Sept. 3. It was sponsored by City Councilmembers Jessica Abbott, Aaron Rouse, Guy Tower, Rosemary Wilson and Sabrina Wooten.
“George has done so much for our community,” Rouse, who holds an at-large seat, said before the vote. “And he always let me know how much work we have to do, right? He would never let me forget that. …
“He always left me with a lesson. He always gave me great advice. That’s something I will always cherish.”
City Councilmember Sabrina Wooten, who represents the Centerville District, said she intended to see the resolution presented during an upcoming community event in Seatack.
“He loved Virginia Beach,” Wooten said. “He also loved justice and fairness. … You don’t always make friends when you speak out for justice and fairness, but he did stand for that.”
City Councilmember Rosemary Wilson, who holds an at-large seat, said, “I can see him almost right now standing before us, and he always let us know exactly how he felt. There was never any doubt.”
He was “someone to sit on your shoulder,” Wilson added, “to just whisper in your ear and remind you of the right things to do.”
Mayor Bobby Dyer said he hoped to memorialize Minn’s name somewhere in the Seatack community.
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