1. References

Lawrence Harrison “L.H.” “Larry” Hamlar (November 27, 1921 - December 31, 2003) was a prominent African-American philanthropist, humanitarian, business leader, civic leader, and funeral director in Roanoke, Virginia. ^[1] L.H. was the first African-American person to serve on the Roanoke City School as both a member and as school board President. He was also the first African-American member of Roanoke's renown Shenandoah Club.^[2]

L.H. was the fifth of nine children born to the late Robert and Maude Hamlar in Goode, VA. The family established permanent residency in Roanoke, VA in 1922.

L.H. met a fellow Roanoker, Constance Elaine Johnson (1922 - 1981), the daughter of a prominent real estate company owner and a teacher at Bennett College in Greensboro, NC. They married in 1963. Neither L.H. or Constance had any children. Constance also taught English at Virginia Western Community College for 11 years. She was the sister of Gwendolyn Johnson Lawrence (April 7, 1915 - January 2, 2013), a 40-year Roanoke City School system elementary and special education teacher and wife of prominent local attorney George P. Lawrence. ^[3]

Prior to his marriage to Constance, Gerri Major’s Society column in Jet Magazine featuring Roanoke African-American high society lists L.H. as Roanoke’s Top Bachelor. ^[4]

L.H. was also the great uncle of Michael Lawrence Hamlar (born January 5, 1982), a prominent businessman, civic leader, funeral director, former Virginia State Senate Candidate for the 19th Senatorial District ^[5], and the host of the New Virginia Economy with Mike Hamlar on WSLS-10 TV in the Roanoke-Lynchburg Virginia media market. ^[6] Michael is also a former Virginia All-State standout high school football player, and former outside linebacker for the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons. ^[7]

L.H. was also the brother of the late Dr. David “Duck” Duffield Hamlar, Sr., University of Toledo Hall of Fame two-way back in 1946 and 1947. ^[8].

Drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1948 and 1949, David Hamlar chose instead to pursue a dentistry degree at Howard University. ^[10].

A practicing dental surgeon in Columbus for 52 years, David Hamlar was a past president of the Toledo, Ohio Board of Education. ^[11]He was also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and Sigma Pi Phi Boule. ^[12]

L.H. was also the brother of Natalie Lorraine Hamlar Mason (March 26, 1927 -July 4, 1999), considered one of the 'Mothers of Civil Rights' in Mississippi. ^[13]

Hamlar-Mason was the 1st wife of Dr. Gilbert R. Mason Sr. (October 7, 1928 – July 8, 2006), a prominent physician and civil rights leader in Biloxi, Mississippi who organized three “wade-ins” from May 1959 to 1963, to desegregate Biloxi’, Mississippi’s public beaches, which had been created with funds from the federal government. ^[14] Their heroic actions led to more wade-ins on “white-only” beaches, setting off the bloodiest race riot in the Mississippi's history and leading to the U.S. Department of Justice Department to begin the first-ever federal court challenge of Mississippi segregationist laws. ^[15]

L.H. was also the uncle of Brigadier General Dr. David D. Hamlar Jr., the current Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Minnesota National Guard.Management Office. ^[16]

L.H. attended Roanoke public schools, graduating from Lucy Addison High School in 1939. He matriculated to Virginia State College, graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in physical education and a minor in business. At Virginia State, L.H. lettered and excelled in football. He was member of the Virginia State University Football Hall of Fame.

In May 1999, L.H. received a Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Roanoke College. He also received a Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Virginia Seminary in Richmond. He was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and a member of the Beta Phi Boule of Sigma Phi Fraternity.

L.H. apprenticed at Citizens Undertaking in Roanoke. He became a certified licensed mortician after completing the Gupton-Jones School of Mortuary Science degree in Atlanta, Georgia.

In 1952, L.H. established the Hamlar and Curtis Funeral Home with his co-partners Cecil and Marilyn Curtis.

L.H.'s contributions to his native Roanoke Valley spanned many fields, including business, athletics, education and politics. An outspoken advocate of higher education, L.H. served on the board of Virginia Western Community College for 8 years. He served as the board’s president for 2 years. Hamlar established the Constance J. Hamlar Memorial English Major Scholarship for minority students at Virginia Western Community College. He established this endowment to honor his late wife Constance who taught English at the community college for 11 years. In 1994, this endowment exceed $250,000. ^[17] In 1983, Hamlar established another memorial scholarship in his late wife’s name at Roanoke College. ^[18]

In the 1960s, L.H. collaborated with a biracial committee of twelve white and black Roanoke business leaders to peacefully desegregate Roanoke. Most notably, L.H. worked with city leaders to quell civil disturbance after the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. ^[19]

L.H. was a co-founder of Valley Bank in Roanoke, Virginia. He was also the Chairman of Explorer Park during its formation. He was also a member of Destination Education and helped established the Roanoke Higher Education Center in May 2001. ^[20]

L.H. also served as campaign manager for the election of Roanoke Mayor Noel C. Taylor. ^[21]

Hamlar was awarded the Noel C. Taylor Distinguished Humanitarian Award in 1993 and the City of Roanoke Citizen of the Year in 2001. ^[22]

L.H. served on numerous board including the Roanoke Ballet, Roanoke College as a trustee and 15-year board member, Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Roanoke Symphony Society, and the Roanoke Science Museum. ^[23]

With several African-American individuals in Roanoke, L.H. co-founded the Pine Valley Golf Association in October 1959. The Association operated the Claytor Family-owned Golf course to allow African-Americans to play golf during segregation in Roanoke. ^[24] Hamlar is a member of the Pine Valley Golf Association Hall of Fame.

L.H. passed away on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2003 at Roanoke Memorial Hospital after a lengthy illness. His passing was unquestionably affected by the recent death of his business partner and nephew Michael Lee Hamlar.

L.H. had anticipated that Michael Lee Hamlar and his founding partner Cecil Curtis' son "Duke" Curtis would together carry on their legacy. Subsequently, Michael Lee ‘s college-aged son Michael Lawrence Hamlar, gave up prospects of a potential National Football League career and career in computers, graduating early from Wake Forest University, and returning home to Roanoke to assume co-ownership of the Hamlar Curtis Funeral Home. ^[25]

References

• Frente de Resistência Nacional de São Tomé e Príncipe-Renovada
• Frente de Todos
• Frente Grande
• Frente Jujeño
• Frente Marxista-Leninista de los Pueblos de España
• Frente Nacional
• Frente Obrero
• Frente Obrero Liberashon 30 di Mei
• Frente para a Libertação do Enclave de Cabinda
• Frente para la Victoria
• Frente Patriotico Manuel Rodriguez
• Frente Patriótico Manuel Rodríguez
• Frente Popular Agrícola del Perú
• Frente Popular Galega
• Frente Popular Galego
• Frente Progresista Civico y Social
• Frente Republicana e Socialista
• Frente Socialista
• Frente Socialista de Naciones Bolivianas
• Frente Socialista Popular
• Frente unitario de los trabajadores
• Frente Unitario de los Trabajadores
• Frenula
• Frenulectomy
• Frenuloplasty of tongue