Lamont Bagby
A lifelong Virginian, Senator Lamont Bagby has served as a member of the Henrico County School Board and the Virginia House of Delegates. He is the former chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and member of the Norfolk State University Board of Visitors. Currently, Senator Bagby serves in the Senate of Virginia, as the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, and chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia. Bagby serves on the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority Board of Directors.
He holds a Bachelor of Science from Norfolk State University and a Master of Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a recipient of honorary doctoral degrees from Norfolk State University, Virginia Union University, and Virginia State University.
After graduating, he returned to his alma mater, Henrico High School, as a teacher and basketball coach before eventually joining the school division’s administrative staff. As a member of the School Board, he advocated for a districtwide mentorship program, investment in new schools and school discipline reform.
Senator Bagby has worked tirelessly to champion legislation focused on education, creating affordable housing, justice reforms, voting rights, environmental justice, consumer protection, and more. He has patroned legislation to make Juneteenth a state holiday, allow Sunday in-person absentee voting, create the Virginia African American Advisory Board, a 21-member body that advises the governor on issues of importance to black Virginians, and to allow high school students to substitute African American History or AP African American Studies for World History or World Geography courses in satisfying their graduation requirement.