The writer Anne Lamott, reflecting on the brevity of life, wrote, “100 years from now? All new people.”

For most of us, there will come a day when our name is mentioned for the last time and at that point it will be as though we never existed. Whatever achievements we may have claimed will be lost in the fog of forgetfulness, too.

On Wednesday, a group of about 20 people, including Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin, CVB director Nancy Carpenter and sports history buff Glenn Lautzenhiser, attended a brief ceremony unveiling street signage designating four city blocks as Henry Armstrong Way.

If you are wondering, “Who is Henry Armstrong?” the value of Wednesday’s event is already proven.

In the world of boxing, Henry Armstrong’s status as one of the sports greats is well-established. He is the only boxer in history to hold three simultaneous world titles in three different weight divisions: featherweight, lightweight and welterweight. He was named boxer of the year in 1937 and 1938, and featured in three movies.

He won 152 out of 181 fights, 101 by knockout and successfully defended his welterweight title a remarkable 19 times before retiring in 1945. The New York Times reckoned Armstrong to be “pound for pound … the greatest boxer who ever lived,” quite a statement given that the legendary Joe Louis was among Armstrong’s contemporaries. Armstrong is a consensus Top 5 boxer of all time among boxing historians and publications.

Armstrong died in 1988 in Los Angeles.

What is not generally known and might have soon been forgotten is that Armstrong was born in Columbus in 1912. The street signage — and a planned statue of Armstrong — will serve as a reminder of his ties to Columbus, probably not a moment too soon, either.

Columbus, more than most Mississippi cities and towns, has done a good job in preserving its history, not only its old homes and buildings, but its stories as well.

For years, the CVB has played a major role in keeping those stories alive. Historical markers note that Columbus is the birthplace of pioneering Disney animator Josh Meador and famed baseball broadcaster Red Barber.

It’s unlikely that anyone who visits Columbus leaves unaware that Columbus is the birthplace of the legendary playwright Tennessee Williams or that Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Eudora Welty studied at MUW.

Why does that matter?

To one extent or another, our hometown or the community we call home, is a part of our identity. We want to be proud of our community, its history, its potential. We take a vicarious pride in the accomplishments of people who we can claim as our own.

For young people, keeping alive the connections of those remarkable people to our community can serve as an inspiration, evidence that a small city can produce a great talent.

If a kid from Columbus like Henry Armstrong can reach such heights as an athlete, there is a youngster who is encouraged that he or she can, too.

Want to be a great novelist or playwright or artist? You can get there from Columbus.

Tennessee Williams, Eudora Welty and Josh Meador are all the proof you need.

We applaud everyone who worked over the past three years to honor the memory of Henry Armstrong. We also encourage all communities to find ways to honor your notable citizens for the inspiration it may produce.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.