8th Annual VIAHA Hall of Fame Induction Banquet

The VIAHA Annual Awards Banquet was held on Friday, June 23, 2023 at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Charlottesville (VA).       

The inductees into the 2023 Hall of Fame class are as follows.

Athletes: Carl B. Jackson (Burley HS, Charlottesville); Rev. Dr. Eric McCaskill (Huntington HS, Newport News); Alvin Nelson Puryear (Phenix HS, Hampton) and Douglas M. Smith (Phenix HS, Hampton).

Coaches: Thomas Hooker (Southside HS, Dinwiddie); Louis Johnson Parker (Gray HS, Alexandria) and Walter Rock Greene (Burley HS, Charlottesville).

Contributors: Mary W. Jackson (Phenix HS, Hampton), and Frank J. Smith (Armstrong HS, Richmond).

Members of the class of 2023 will bring the total membership to 99.                                                                    

The Hall of Fame is dedicated to recognizing and preserving the rich heritage and legacy of African American students and adults who participated in the Virginia Interscholastic Association (VIA) from 1954-70 and its predecessor organization, the Virginia Interscholastic Association League (VIAL).

Read more about the inductees in the VIAHA Awards Souvenir Booklet.