Courthouse renaming: The courthouse in Charles City County has a new name. On Feb. 17, it was renamed the Iona Whitehead Adkins Courthouse in honor of the county’s late circuit court clerk. In 1967, Mrs. Adkins, shown in a photo held by her granddaughter Kaci Easley, was the first African-American elected to a court of record in the United States since Reconstruction. Mrs. Adkins served as the court clerk for 21 years until her retirement in 1988. She also was active with the local NAACP branch, the Charles City Civic League and St. John Baptist Church in Charles City until her death in October 2004. An array of elected officials attended the ceremony, including former Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott. A plaque with Mrs. Adkins’ photo hangs in the courthouse foyer. (Photos by The Jones Photography & Media Co.)
