Harold Boyd and the Rev. Ludwell Brown, Sr. were recognized posthumously with Legacy Awards at the NAACP Culpeper Branch’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., commemoration event on Monday, January 19, 2026. Both Boyd and Brown, who recently passed away, were longtime members and leaders in the Culpeper Branch.
James Harold Boyd, Jr., served as the NAACP Culpeper treasurer, a member of the executive committee, and as an organizer of the branch’s Freedom Fund banquet for many years. Active in the Culpeper community, he was a dedicated civil rights advocate, a former teacher, and a devoted member of St. Stephens Episcopal Church. He was also active for many years in the Culpeper County Democratic Committee.
Ludwell Brown, Sr., served as president of the NAACP Culpeper Branch from 2013 to 2015. An Army veteran, he was a recipient of the Legion of Merit Award. His pastoral leadership began in 1993, and in addition to serving at several churches in the Piedmont region, he served as Moderator of the Wayland Blue Ridge Baptist Association for many years. In addition to his volunteer work for the NAACP, Rev. Brown served in the court-appointed guardianship program, as Grand Marshall of the Culpeper 4th of July parade, and as an advocate for the Culpeper County Heat Shelter program. He served for 16 years on the Culpeper Human Services Board.
In presenting the posthumous awards, NAACP President Kaleb Hackley stated “It is my high honor and privilege to present the Legacy Award to these two titans of our organization, that we may never forget them, and that we will always be faithful to the charge and the legacy that they’ve left us.”
A pdf of the press release is available here. To view the entire 2026 MLK Commemoration event, view this link from the Piedmont Journal Recorder.
Photos: The Rev. Ludwell Brown, Sr. (top) and Harold Boyd
