National

D.C. Block Renamed for Activist Lawrence Guyot

Published

11 years ago

January 7, 2015

Lawrence Guyot, pictured in 2011, worked to educate young people about the civil rights movement. (Courtesy of Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, University of Florida)

by Avis Thomas-Lester

Special to the NNPA from The Washington Informer

Lawrence Guyot battled against voter intimidation in Jim Crow Mississippi in the 1960s and lobbied ardently for D.C. statehood after moving to the nation’s capital in the early 1970s.

The D.C. Council recently recognized the sacrifice and steadfast support of Guyot, who died in 2012, when the members voted unanimously to rename the 500 block of U Street in Northwest Washington in his honor. If the measure is approved by Mayor Vincent C. Gray, the block where Guyot lived for 30 years will bear the name “Lawrence Guyot Way.”

“He would have been so proud, and it is a much-deserved recognition,” said Julie Guyot-Diangone, Guyot’s daughter. “He loved Washington, D.C. so much. It is appropriate that he be recognized with a street named in his honor, and the street where our family lived for so many years is the perfect street to be named for him.”

Guyot died on Nov. 23, 2012, of complications of diabetes and heart disease in the wee hours of the morning after Thanksgiving. Though his health was failing in the final days of his life, his activism and love of politics never faltered. He looked forward to witnessing the second inauguration of President Obama, for whom he had campaigned. Guyot had cast his ballot for Obama a few weeks earlier, determined that his vote would be counted, when he was carried into the polls by D.C. Fire Department rescuers because he was too weak to walk.

“I never thought I would live to see it. I hoped, but never dreamed it,” Guyot said at the time of Obama’s re-election. “Not only did we witness an African-American elected to the highest position in the nation. We saw him reaffirmed in a second election. It is unprecedented and sets the tone for civil rights moving forward. It also says to young people of color that there are no limits. You truly can achieve anything if you work hard enough — anything.”

It was Guyot-Diangone’s idea that a street should be named for her father. She moved back in with her parents before Guyot died with her two young children.

“This is the way D.C. honors its local heroes, its most beloved — the people who made a difference to D.C.,” said Guyot-Diangone. “It’s especially significant for me because I will be raising his grandchildren on the street named for him. That really resonates with me.”

Council records show the Lawrence Guyot Way Designation Act of 2014 was sent to Mayor Vincent Gray’s office on Dec. 9. He signed the measure last week. It now moves to Congress for a 30-day period of review.

In an email, Gray spokeswoman Doxie McCoy said he was “pleased to sign the bill in honor of a man who fought for freedom, self-determination and democracy for the residents of the District of Columbia and disenfranchised people all over.”

Guyot-Diangone said her family moved to the brownstone in the 500 block of U Street in 1981, several years after the elder Guyots moved to the District after her father graduated from Rutgers Law School. Guyot worked for Pride Inc. and then in the administration of Mayor Marion Barry, whom he had met on the civil rights trail in the Deep South. Barry, a lifelong friend, died exactly two years to the day after Guyot on Nov. 23, 2014.

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Activism

Six Months in, Probate Reform Coalition Marks Progress in Protecting Elders From Financial Abuse

Despite the cited obstacles, NPRC has made some promising inroads towards their mission. NPRC has identified that nationwide the Attorneys General must be engaged and encouraged to implement oversight, protection and enforcement of the law; members find support from each other as they advocate for redress via “letters of compassion” sent to judges, nursing facilities and law enforcement agencies and members are instructed on their rights, how to take constructive action to protect those rights through access to resources that allow them to intelligently represent themselves in court.

Published

7 days ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

NPRC member Stewart E. Handte, a former Mineral County, Nevada, Sheriff and 27-year veteran of police work, currently wears an ankle monitor after he was arrested on kidnapping charges for helping his friend, Roger Hilligus, remove Hilligus’ mother, Susan Hilligus, from a nursing facility after finding her bruised and neglected. NPRC has submitted a “Letter of Compassion” for both Handte and Hilligus requesting that charges be dropped. Courtesy photo.

By Tanya Dennis

The National Probate Reform Coalition, a loose-knit national coalition of advocates, victims, and families dedicated to protecting elder rights, especially within the probate court system, was formed by the Post Newspaper Group (PNG) after more than a decade of reporting on the mistreatment of elders and the plunder of their estates.

In response, PNG Publisher Paul Cobb set in motion a series of monthly town halls to address the problem and propose workable solutions, designating it a “year of action.”

At six months, the coalition has attracted families, advocates, and experts across the nation whose strategies have proven effective in their respective states, and who are moving forward collectively with the mission of engaging judicial, legislative, and enforcement agencies to ensure elders are not exploited or abused.

“The issue of elder abuse is multi-layered”, says NPRC planning committee member Venus Gist. “Elders are our most vulnerable population, next to children, and they are easily exploited by strangers, their own family members, and the judicial system designed to protect them.”

Since January, NPRC has, via monthly virtual meetings held on the first Thursday of each month, clearly defined the issues and formulated workable solutions that can be implemented nationwide.

“There are amazing laws on the books that protect elders and their assets,” said NPRC member Zakiya Jendayi. “The problem is they are ignored, and that lack of oversight has led to systemic abuse in the Probate Court system, not just in Alameda County, but nationwide.

“The scary part is the collusion and wall of silence NPRC has encountered when reaching out to the Judicial Council, legislators, and the State Bar for assistance. It’s so obvious that one hand is washing the other, that they’re protecting each other, that it’s difficult to initiate any type of meaningful reform much less dialogue.”

Stacy Drake, a Texas member, says, “I’ve been looking for help for over 10 years with my situation, and I finally found it within the NPRC coalition. God answered my prayers.”

Broadening its reach within Alameda County, NPRC has invited Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to assist with outreach, education, and resolution.

“We hope to host an elder abuse/elder protection symposium annually, if not twice a year, to let our elders know that Alameda County and the City of Oakland are a safe place, a place where in their golden years they have no worries regarding exploitation and abuse,” said Cobb. “Society is defined by how the care for its children and elders.”

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UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

1 week ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps!

Watch the long-form video https://youtu.be/YANxGwD2CjI Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation
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Published

1 week ago

June 23, 2026

Oakland Post

Watch the long-form video

Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation

The post Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps! appeared first on BlackPressUSA.