ELIZABETH CITY, NC –Congressman G. K. Butterfield will honor Dr. Clifford Bell Jones, Sr. with an event to mark naming the U.S. Post Office on Elizabeth City State University’s campus in his honor. The event will take place on Monday, October 25, 2010 at the University’s Ridley Student Complex, beginning at 12 noon.

In May of 2008, then-President George W. Bush signed legislation offered by Butterfield naming the Post Office in honor of the former dentist, Elizabeth City – Pasquotank County school board member, trustee emeritus of the university, and World War 1 veteran. The legislation names the Contract Post Office at 1704 Weeksville Road as the “Dr. Clifford Bell Jones, Sr. Post Office.” Currently, the Post Office does not have a name.

Joining Congressman Butterfield in the ceremony will be ECSU Chancellor Dr. Willie J. Gilchrist, Elizabeth City Mayor The Honorable Roger McLean, Former Mayor Rev. Charles Foster, North Carolina Rep. Bill Owens (1st District), and other civic officials, community leaders, family and friends of Dr. Jones.

Dr. Clifford B Jones (1895-1995) was born in Washington County, NC, spent his formative years in Hampton, Virginia, and later attended Lutheran College in Greensboro, North Carolina.  He received the Bachelor of Science degree from Shaw University in Raleigh in 1923.  Dr. Jones earned the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery in 1927 from the Meharry Medical College Dental School.  He studied further in the area of orthodontics at the Dewey School of Orthodontics in New York City.  Shortly after being awarded his dental degree, he began his professional life in Elizabeth City, North Carolina where he practiced general dentistry for 66 years. 

Dr. Jones ardently participated in many local and community activities.  He was one of the first African Americans to run for City Council in Elizabeth City in 1957 and was defeated by only 28 votes.  Later, in the 60s, he was appointed to serve on the Elizabeth City – Pasquotank County school board.  He served as a deacon at Corner Stone Missionary Baptist Church in Elizabeth City and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Museum of the Albemarle.  He was a trustee emeritus of Elizabeth City State University.  A veteran of World War I, he was a member of the American Legion Post 223.  Dr. Jones was a member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc, and he was a 32 degree Mason. 

Dr. Jones was a member of numerous professional organizations which included the Eastern North Carolina Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical Society; the Alexander Hunter Dental Society; the John F. McGriff Dental Society of Tidewater, Virginia; the Fifth District Dental Society of the North Carolina Dental Society; the old North State Dental Society; the North Carolina Dental Society; the American Dental Society; and the Chicago Dental Society as an associate. 

Dr. Jones was the recipient of several awards and honors.  He received the Meharry Medical College President’s Award for Service to Mankind.  Twice he was awarded the Delta Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc, Certificate of Honor for exceptional service to the citizens of Northeastern North Carolina in the field of dentistry.  He was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the City Council of Elizabeth City, North Carolina for his invaluable services on the City’s Human Relations Committee.  Dr. Jones received a Special Recognition Award for loyalty and service to the dental profession from the Old North State Dental Society.

Dr. Jones dedicated his life to servicing mankind in his profession and community for the better part of his 99 years. 

This event is free and open to the public.

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A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.