City of Winston-Salem - File #: 25-0123

• File #: 25-0123
• Version: 1
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Consent Agenda
• File created: 4/3/2025
• In control: City Council
• On agenda: 6/2/2025
• Title: Adoption of a Resolution to Elect the 2025 Inductees for the Winston-Salem Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Memorial Walk of Fame

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
6/2/2025	1	City Council
5/12/2025	1	General Government Committee	Committee Recommends Approval	Pass

City Council - Action Request Form
Date:	April 14, 2025
To:	Mayor, Mayor Pro Tempore, and Members of the City Council
From:	Ben Rowe, Assistant City Manager Susan Spainhour, Interim Deputy Marketing and Communications Director
Council Action Requested: Adoption of Resolution Electing the 2025 Inductees for the Winston-Salem Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Memorial Walk of Fame.
Strategic Focus Area: Economic Vitality and Diversity  Strategic Objective: Promote Travel and Tourism Strategic Plan Action Item: No Key Work Item: No
Summary of Information:   In November 2015, the Mayor and City Council created the Winston-Salem Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Memorial Walk of Fame (Walk of Fame) to recognize deceased city residents who made significant contributions to the arts and entertainment industry. This program will honor their contributions with the placement of a medallion along the Walk of Fame, which is located on the Cherry Street sidewalk next to The Benton. The City Marketing and Communications Department opened the 2025 nomination process in January and received the following seven nominations. The applications submitted for all the nominees are attached to this Council Action.
Committee Action:
Committee			Action
For			Against
Remarks:

2025 Winston-Salem ACE Memorial Walk of Fame Panel Recommendations

The ACE Memorial Walk of Fame committee represents a diverse panel of citizens, representing various artistic disciplines and fields within the entertainment industry. They are: Deirdre Anderson, Forsyth Technical Community College; Eurikca Felipe, Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County; Whitney Harness, Delta Arts Center; Billy Rich, retired; Corlis Sellers, 40+ Stage Company; Marjorie Silber, retired; Terry Taylor, Old Salem Museum and Gardens.

The panel has reviewed the seven nominations that were submitted for consideration based on the following criteria:

•                     The nominee(s) is deceased.

•                     The nominee(s) was a resident of Winston-Salem for at least five years.

•                     The nominee(s) made a significant contribution to the arts and entertainment industry in one or more of the following areas: music, dance, theater, writing, visual arts, motion pictures, television, or radio. A “significant” contribution would be iconic in terms of renown and the impact on the artistic disciplines or popular culture.

•                     The nominee(s) exhibited sustained excellence in his or her field for at least five years.

•                     The nominee(s) made distinguished contributions to the community and civic-oriented participation.

2025 Nominee	Category
William Grady Benton	Arts/Philanthropy
Joshua Lee Brookshire	Music
Dr. Julian Carr Burroughs	Radio
James Paxton Davis, Jr.	Writing
James Thackeray Diggs, Jr.	Visual Arts
Margaret Snodgrass Mueller	Music
Dr. Harold Calvin Tedford	Theater

The following table presents the panel’s recommendations for election to the 2025 Winston-Salem Arts, Culture, and Entertainment (ACE) Memorial Walk of Fame.

2025 Finalists	Category
William Grady Benton	Arts/Philanthropy
Dr. Julian Carr Burroughs	Radio
James Thackeray Diggs, Jr.	Visual Arts
Margaret Snodgrass Mueller	Music

The Community Development/Housing/General Government Committee will consider the panel’s recommendations and submit the slate of finalists to the Mayor and City Council for final approval and election. The attached resolution presents the finalists for consideration by the Mayor and City Council. The City’s Marketing and Communications Department currently administers the program. Funding for the program is provided from the City’s occupancy tax fund. Anticipated expenses include advertising, printing, materials, and installation of the stars at an estimated annual budget of $20,000.

The Mayor and City Council elected the following inductees for the Classes of 2016-2024.

Nominee(s)	Year of Nomination	Category
The 5 Royales	2016	Music
Larry Leon Hamlin	2016	Theater
Phil Hanes	2016	Arts/Philanthropy
William Samuel Scales	2016	Theater/Motion Pictures
John Iuele	2017	Music
Chris Murrell	2018	Music
Dr. Robert Wise	2018	Radio
John H. Heath	2019	Music/Theater
Norman Johnson	2019	Music/Theater
Doris Pardington	2019	Theater
Maya Angelou	2020	Writing
George Lee	2020	Radio/Television
John S. Mueller	2020	Music
Penelope Niven	2020	Writing
A. C. Stone	2020	Radio
John Ehle	2021	Writing
Earline King	2021	Visual Arts
Joe King	2021	Visual Arts
Sam Moss	2021	Music
Stuart Scott	2021	Television
Howell Binkley	2022	Theater
George Hamilton IV	2022	Music
Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin	2022	Theater
Anne Shields	2022	Visual Arts
James Funches	2023	Music
Curtis Hairston	2023	Music
Shirley Holloway	2023	Theater
Charles Greene	2024	Music/Motion Pictures
Bonnie Poindexter	2024	Music/Theater/Writing
Charles Vardell	2024	Music

City staff will plan a special ceremony for the 2025 and 2026 inductees in July 2026 in conjunction with the International Black Theatre Festival. The Walk of Fame site at The Benton will include the star medallions honoring the members, as well as a directory at the location.

Photos of the 2024 event are below. A webpage has been dedicated to this event. Photos and video can be viewed by going to www.cityofws.org/walkoffame <http://www.cityofws.org/walkoffame>. 

-