June 23, 2023
Nyasha Smith, Secretary
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 2004
Dear Secretary Smith,
Today, I am introducing the Lee Elder Way Designation Act of 2023. Please find enclosed a copy of the
legislation. This bill will symbolically designate the 800 Block of 26
th St NE in Ward 5 in honor of Black
golf pioneer Lee Elder.
Born in 1934, Lee Elder served in the US Army then joined the United Golf Association Tour. He won 18
of 22 tournaments, and in 1966 played his first major championship. In 1975 he was the first African
American golfer to compete in the Masters tournament. His professional career included four PGA Tour
wins, eight Senior PGA Tour wins, and seven top-25 finishes in a major championship. He managed the
Langston Golf Course in the 1970s and 1980s. The District of Columbia declared April 10, 2021 as “Lee
Elder Day”, and the Langston Golf Course Conservancy held its 2
nd
Annual Lee Elder Memorial Golf
Charity Classic on June 19, 2023. The tournament honors his memory, raises money for the scholarships
for the Langston Junior Boys and Girls Golf Club, and funds improvements to the Langston Golf Course.
In 2021 the National Links Trust named Hole 13 after Lee Elder, and the Conservancy will raise funds to
erect educational signage that venerates the golf legend. He passed away at the age of 87 on November
29, 2021.
I submit this bill in an effort to help preserve the District’s history and acknowledge the contributions of
notable residents such as Lee Elder.
Sincerely,
Zachary Parker
Ward 5 Councilmember
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Councilmember Zachary Parker 2
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A BILL 5
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 9
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To symbolically designate the 800 Blocks of 26th Street, N.E., in Ward 5, as Lee Elder Way. 13
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 15
act may be cited as the “Lee Elder Way Designation Act of 2023”. 16
Sec. 2. Pursuant to sections 401, 403a, and 423 of the Street and Alley Closing and 17
Acquisition Procedures Act of 1982, effective March 10, 1983 (D.C. Law 4-201; D.C. Official 18
Code §§ 9-204.01, 9-204.03a, and 9-204.23), the Council symbolically designates the 800 Block 19
of 26th Street, N.E., in Ward 5, as “Lee Elder Way.”. 20
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 21
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 22
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 23
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 24
Sec. 4. Effective date. 25
This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 26
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 27
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 28
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 29
Columbia Register. 30