A bill that would rename the post office in Largo after a ground-breaking Prince George’s County executive is headed to President Trump’s desk for signature.
The U.S. Senate approved a measure late Thursday that renames the U.S. Postal Service office at 9801 Apollo Drive as the “Wayne K. Curry Post Office Building.”
The measure, which passed the House of Representatives over the summer, honors the county’s first African-American executive.
Wayne Keith Curry was born in New York and rose to prominence in Maryland as a hard-charging development lawyer. He took office in 1994, following a bruising multi-candidate primary, and served two terms.
A man who brimmed with confidence, Curry became the county’s most ardent booster, frequently noting that as Prince George’s became less white and more African-American, the education and income levels of its population went up, something he routinely described as an American first.
Curry and his brother were among the first African-American students to integrate, and graduate from, Bladensburg High School.
“Wayne Curry was a friend, as well as a public servant and a tremendous leader who inspired young people to serve their community and their nation,” said U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D), who, along with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D), shepherded the bill through the upper chamber. “This honor is a lasting and fitting memorial to Wayne in the heart of Prince George’s County that he loved.”
“Wayne Curry was a tireless champion for Prince George’s County and the people of Maryland – he was also a friend. From tackling poverty, to strengthening our schools, to fighting for our kids, Wayne never backed away from a fight if it meant helping the people he represented,” said Van Hollen.
The bill, which originated in the House, was sponsored by Rep. Anthony G. Brown (D) and was co-sponsored by every member of the Maryland delegation.
“Wayne Curry never sought to make history, but he broke barriers throughout his remarkable life of service; he worked tirelessly to uplift the community around him and to better the lives of the people of Prince George’s County,” Brown said. “Naming this building in his honor — in the heart of the County he cared so deeply about — will be a daily reminder of the lasting vision, contribution and legacy of Wayne K. Curry.”
As part of the deal that brought the Redskins Stadium (now FedEx Field) to Prince George’s, Curry got team owner Jack Kent Cooke to build a community sports and education facility nearby. The Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Center is located at 8001 Sheriff Road in Landover.
Last December the offices of the county executive moved from Upper Marlboro to a new building — the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building — at 1301 McCormick Drive, part of an effort to bring more activity to that part of Prince George’s.
Curry died on July 2, 2014, from lung cancer. He was 63.
If Trump signs the bill, it will be Brown’s first piece of legislation to become law.
Bruce DePuyt
Reporter
Bruce DePuyt is a contributor to Maryland Matters, where he was a full-time reporter until December 2022. Previously, DePuyt spent nearly three decades on local television, including 14 years as producer and host of “NewsTalk” on NewsChannel 8 in the Washington, D.C., region. He was a reporter and anchor on “News 21” in Montgomery, where he also served as producer and host of “21 This Week.” He then became a reporter and anchor at NBC affiliate WVIR in Charlottesville, Va. He appears occasionally on WTOP (103.5 FM), WAMU (88.5 FM) and MPT.
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