Supporters urge council to approve honorary Lewis Street naming for Samuel C. Hamilton and Sanford J. Cloud

Members of the Hartford Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi and others urged the City Council to approve a resolution to place honorary name signage on Lewis Street recognizing Samuel C. Hamilton and Sanford J. Cloud.

Reginald Austin Jr., identified as president of the Hartford Alumni Chapter, told the council that Samuel C. Hamilton "not only was a pillar of the Hartford community but he also worked at headco for over 30 years" and asked that Hamilton's name be honored. Austin also cited Sanford J. Cloud as "one of the few minorities to have owned a building and continue to this day to own a building on Lewis Street." He said the honorary naming would give overdue recognition to leaders who have invested in the local economy.

Other chapter members and supporters spoke in favor of the resolution, describing it as a chance to "affirm a legacy" and to make those stories visible to future generations. A Kappa Alpha Psi board member said the men exemplify the chapter's founding principle, "achievement in every field of human endeavor," and urged the council to approve the measure.

Speakers said the request was for honorary signage and not a legal renaming; they framed the measure as a symbolic recognition of longtime local service and business ownership. The council did not act during the public comment period; supporters urged that the resolution be placed on a future agenda for formal consideration.

If approved, the honorary signs would be installed on Lewis Street and would commemorate the civic and business contributions of Samuel C. Hamilton and Sanford J. Cloud.