The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. is proud to announce that the Drew and Jarvis Families will receive this year’s “Legacy Families of Washington, D.C.” distinction at the Making D.C. History Awards.
Accepting this award on behalf of the families is fourth-generation Washingtonian and former City Councilmember Charlene Drew Jarvis.
After earning her Ph.D. in neuropsychology from the University of Maryland and working as a research scientist, Jarvis dove into local politics. She won the Ward 4 City Council seat and served from 1979 to 2000. In the role, she headed the Committee on Economic Development and the Committee on Finance and Revenue and introduced legislation that resulted in the construction of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and Capital One Arena.
However, her impact also goes beyond the local government. In 1992 Drew Jarvis was the national co-chair of the Clinton/Gore campaign. And in 1996 she became the first woman president of Southeastern University.
Charlene Drew Jarvis is by no means the only accomplished member of her family.
Her father, Dr. Charles Richard Drew, was an esteemed surgeon, known for developing uniform procedures for collecting and processing blood plasma. Drew also innovated the modern-day bloodmobile and spoke forcefully against segregating the blood supply during World War II.
Additionally, Charles Drew’s nephew, Frederick Gregory, was a NASA astronaut and the first African American to pilot a space shuttle.
Though not as well known, the Jarvis side of the family is equally distinguished.
The Jarvis family’s six generations in D.C. began with William Daniel Jarvis. Born into slavery in Virginia in 1861, he moved to Washington where he earned a degree in theology from Howard University and co-founded New Bethel Baptist Church, where he served as the first pastor.
His son, Norman O. Jarvis, founded the Jarvis Funeral Home, which served the community from 1920 to 1985.
One of Norman O. Jarvis’s eight children, William Ernest “Ernie” Jarvis, married Charlene Drew. Together, they had two sons, the late Peter Davis Jarvis and Ernest D. “Ernie” Jarvis. Ernie Jarvis co-founded the Jarvis Company with his cousin N. William “Bill” Jarvis. After leading CBRE, the largest commercial real estate company in the District, Ernie founded Jarvis Commercial Real Estate, which is now the largest minority-owned commercial advisory and brokerage company. Ernie has also served as a president of the District of Columbia Building Industry Association (DCBIA).
Ernie Jarvis shares two children, Ernest “EJ” Drew Jarvis II and Jacob Drew Jarvis, with former NBC-4 anchor Debbi Lockhart Jarvis.
We invite you to celebrate the Drew and Jarvis Families at the 2018 Making D.C. History Awards at the Newseum on Thursday, September 20, 2018.
Read about Akridge, the 2018 recipient of the Making D.C. History “Distinction in Historic Preservation” award, HITT Contracting, Inc. for “Distinction in Corporate Achievement,” and Central Union Mission, winner of this year’s “Distinction in Social Service.”