Lincoln Theatre Association Reveals 2023 Walk Of Fame Inductees

The Lincoln Theatre Association will hold a Walk of Fame induction ceremony at the Lincoln Theatre (769 E. Long St.) on Saturday, July 29, at 7 pm, to memorialize two community leaders whose contributions to Columbus through their professional careers helped shape the city's past, present, and future – the Rev. Leon Troy Sr. and the Rev. Dr. James Preston Poindexter.

These local trailblazers will be honored during a ceremony that will include a multi-genre tribute to their lives and work and a performance from Gregory J. Watkins and the Worship and Praise Chorale. The second half of the ceremony will then move outdoors to reveal the new stars on the Walk of Fame.

The event is free and open to the public with pre-registration at www.LincolnTheatreColumbus.com.

“Although many Walk of Fame inductees have a focus on the landscape of art making, representing clergy among our honorees acknowledges the quality and tools needed to create a canvas of spiritual and community leadership for the masses to connect, engage and model,” Lincoln Theatre Executive Director Suzan Bradford said. “The vision for their era and the lasting legacy of both Rev. Troy and Rev. Dr. Poindexter make them more than worthy of the Lincoln Theatre Walk of Fame.”

Rev. Leon L. Troy

A longtime pastor in the city, where he has served at Second Baptist Church of Columbus for almost 50 years, Rev. Troy's contributions come in both the religious and civic sectors. At Second Baptist, he led the congregation in establishing the Second Baptist Housing Corporation, which received a Section 202 HUD Project Grant of $1,750,000 to erect a 45-unit housing complex for the elderly. He also led initiatives in food access and education. Rev. Troy co-chaired Dana Rinehart's successful campaign for Mayor of Columbus in 1983, subsequently serving on numerous city commissions and in a variety of posts, including as Special Assistant to the Mayor for Community Affairs. He received appointments to county- and state-level agencies and commissions as well. He has also served on the boards of the American Red Cross, Operation Feed, the Mt. Vernon Plaza Project, Project Care, Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, and the Baptist Pastor's Conference.  His honors include the Distinguished Service Award from the United Negro College Fund, induction into the Franklin County Senior Citizens Hall of Fame, the Governor's Award for Community Action, and Temple Israel's Humanitarian of the Year.

Rev. Dr. James Preston Poindexter (1819-1907)

Rev. Poindexter was an influential figure both locally and nationally during the 19th century, working in community building, advocacy, and social justice. In addition to serving as the longtime pastor at Columbus' Anti-Slavery Baptist Church and Second Baptist Church, Rev. Poindexter was the first African American to serve on Columbus City Council. A staunch advocate of education for all children, he also served four terms on the Columbus School Board. He served as a trustee for the Ohio School for the Blind and Wilberforce University. Rev. Poindexter wrote for the Ohio State Journal and was sought out by leaders of both parties, governors, and presidents for advice on issues of the day. He spoke against injustice affecting all citizens. He was a voice for the poor, forgotten, and the oppressed, speaking out for reforming schools and civil service. Rev. Poindexter's life work was memorialized in the naming of the one of the first affordable public housing complexes in Columbus and the nation as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal. While some of those structures have been demolished, the Ohio History Connection and the James Preston Poindexter Foundation are partnering to make the remaining Poindexter Village structures Ohio's first African American Museum and Cultural Center.

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