Five African-American leaders, including a retired judge, NASA scientist and inventor and a former NFL player, were honored during the eighth annual “Strong Men & Women in Virginia History” awards program Feb. 6 at a Downtown hotel.

The program, sponsored by Dominion Energy and the Library of Virginia, honors people from the past and present who have made noteworthy contribu- tions to the Commonwealth.

The 2020 honorees:

• Kaci M. Easley, vice president of state government relations with McGuireWoods Consulting.

A native of Charles City County, Ms. Easley is a graduate of Hampton University and master’s degree holder from Virginia Tech. Under former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, she was the first African-American to serve as executive director of the Executive Mansion in Virginia. She helped spearhead projects that led to the unveiling of portraits in the mansion of Richmond civil rights attorney Oliver W. Hill and civil rights activist Barbara Johns. She also worked with then-First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe to make the mansion more environmentally friendly and accessible to all. She previously served as a confidential assistant to the state secretary of natural resources.

• Penny J. Franklin, community activist and labor leader from Montgomery County.

When her two children experienced unequal treatment at school, Ms. Frank- lin spoke out and became involved. She was the first African-American elected to the Montgomery County School Board in 1999 and has continued to win re-election since then.

Having worked on the shipping dock at Hubbell Lighting for 32 years, she also was elected president of Local 82160 International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Technical, Salaried, Machine and Furniture Workers-Communication Workers of America in 2008, and was elected to the IUE-CWA’s executive council in 2013.

She has been active with the NAACP, helped establish the New Mountain Climbers giving circle to provide grants to social justice programs and co-founded the Community Group, which aims to empower the local African-American community and encourage black people to run for public office. The Community Group in 2012 established the Dialogue on Race to take action on inequalities in education, employment, law enforcement and service on public and private boards.

• Dr. Joycelyn S. Harrison, an inventor and former research engineer at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton.

A native of Chattanooga, Tenn., Dr. Harrison holds degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering from Spelman College and the Georgia Institute of Technology. She jointly holds 23 patents involving piezoelectric materials that are used to help repair satellites and make improvements in devices such as robots, heart pumps and audio speakers.

She served as chief of NASA Langley’s Advanced Materials and Processing Branch and was part of a team that developed THUNDER, Thin-Layer Composite-Unimorph Piezoelectric Driver and Sensor technology, which received R&D Magazine’s annual award as one of the best innovations in research and development.

In 2009, she became manager of the low density materials program at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research in Arlington County, overseeing research and development of lightweight materials for use in aerospace technologies.

Dr. Harrison, who has won numerous honors and awards, currently serves as associate research dean at Kent State University’s College of Aeronautics and Engineering.

• Torrey Smith, former NFL wide receiver and philanthropist.

Growing up in Colonial Beach, Mr. Smith went on the play college football at the University of Maryland and was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine. He helped the Ravens to a Super Bowl championship against the San Francisco 49ers in February 2013.

He became a free agent in early 2015 and signed a five-year, $40 million contract with San Francisco, but suffered a concussion during a game December 2016 against the New York Jets and was released the following year.

He debuted with the Philadelphia Eagles in September 2017, earning his second Super Bowl championship ring with the Eagles’ victory over the New England Patriots in February 2018.

He was traded to the Carolina Panthers and, after playing one season, was released in September 2019. He retired from the game later that month.

He and his wife, Chanel, were the first in their families to attend college. Through their Torrey Smith Family Fund, they sponsor many programs for youths, including back-to-school and after-school programs; teen mentoring; sports and STEM camps; charitable basketball games; holiday meal and gift programs; and the Tevin Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund, named in honor of Mr. Smith’s late brother, which annually provides $5,000 scholarships to four college-bound students from low-income families in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

• Judge Marcus D. Williams, retired Fairfax Circuit Court judge and an accomplished musician.

A native of Nashville, Tenn., Judge Williams traveled around the region as a musician, playing with the likes of Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones during his undergraduate years at Fisk University. Judge Williams plays guitar, bass, keyboard and saxophone.

He went on to earn a law degree from Catholic University in 1977 and studied European business law during a fellowship in London.

Returning to the United States, he started working as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Fairfax County, and in 1987, was elected by the General Assembly to the Fairfax County General District Court. He was the first African-American judge to serve in the county.

In 1990, he was elevated to the Fairfax Circuit Court, where he served on the bench for 22 years, retiring in 2012.

He has served as an adjunct professor at George Mason University, has taught at the National Judicial College and has served on the education committee of the Judicial Conference of Virginia for District Courts.

Since retiring, he has served as a mediator and arbitrator for Juridical Solutions and continues to record albums and perform at venues around the world.

Four high school student essay winners also were recognized during the ceremony. Their winning essays were selected from among more than 200 entries about the perseverance of African-Americans and the importance of their contributions to American history and culture.

The winners of the 2020 essay competition are Rebekah Bautista, Massaponax High School and The Commonwealth Governor’s School, Spotsylvania County; Jy’Mir Starks, Great Bridge High School, Chesapeake; Ilaria Cabell, Forest Park High School, Woodbridge; andAva Seagle, Gate City High School, Gate City.

Each student will receive an Apple MacBook Air laptop and $1,000 for their school.