News Flash

Hampton mayor George E. Wallace will share stories and memories of his experiences as mayor, city manager and other key positions as part of the Hampton History Museum’s “Our Story, Our Time” Oral History Project program series on Thursday, June 30 at 7:00 p.m. The program is free and open to the public.

This program is about what inspired Mayor George Wallace to become a public servant. Mayor George Wallace will discuss his experiences as both City Manager and Mayor, and give first person accounts of what is like to be a city leader. Also, he will discuss his greatest challenges, and include interesting stories about being city manager and mayor of Hampton.

A native of Virginia who grew up in Williamsburg and graduated from North Carolina Central University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, George Wallace has spent most of his adult life in service to the citizens of Hampton Roads.

Wallace, who went on to get a master’s degree in Public Administration, and earlier in his career, served as deputy director for the Newport News’ Office of Human Affairs (OHA).

He left OHA Newport News to become executive director of the Southeast Tidewater Area Manpower Planning Authority for the City of Norfolk. In 1975 he returned to the Peninsula to serve as assistant manager for Community Services in the City of Hampton. And in 1990 he became Hampton’s assistant city manager for strategic planning and Economic Development.

In 1997, Wallace became Hampton’s city manager, responsible for the operation of all city services.

And while Wallace left the city manager’s office in 2005, he didn’t leave Hampton.

In 2008 he ran for and won his first political office, a seat on Hampton’s City Council. Elected vice mayor by other Council members during his first term, Wallace ran for re-election in 2012 and was again elected vice mayor by Council.

In late 2013, when Molly Joseph Ward resigned as Hampton mayor to go to work for the White House, members of Council elected Wallace to serve as mayor until a special election was held this spring 2014 and was then he was elected by the citizens for a term to end June 2016. But the mayor’s service to the public doesn’t end at City Hall.

Over the years, he has been affiliated with several service and civic groups, including 100 Black Men of the Virginia Peninsula, The American Society for Public Administration, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Hampton Roads, the Hampton Rotary, the International City Management Association, the Omega Pii Phi and Sigma Pi Phi fraternities, and the First Baptist Church – King Street.

The mayor and his wife, Mary, proud parents and grandparents, continue to be proud residents of Hampton.

“Our Story, Our Time” is a free monthly public program of the Hampton History Museum’s Oral History Project. The ultimate goal of the project is to create a collection of oral histories – by searching out and recording stories – that become a permanent part of the museum’s collection.

The Hampton History Museum is located at 120 Old Hampton Lane in downtown Hampton. There is plenty of free parking in the garage across the street from the museum. For more information, dial 757/727-1610.