Spingarn Freedom Fund Awards Gala

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THE 109TH SPINGARN AWARD

Spingarn Freedom Fund awards Gala

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2024, 7PM

115TH NAACP NATIONAL CONVENTION | LAS VEGAS, NV

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THE LATE JOEL ELIAS SPINGARN

DONOR, THE SPINGARN MEDAL

CHAIRMAN, NAACP BOARD OF DIRECTORS- 1914-1919

PRESIDENT, NAACP- 1930-1939

Born to an upper middle-class Jewish family in New York City, Joel Elias Spingarn was an American educator, literary critic, poet, military intelligence officer, horticulturalist and civil rights activist.

A delegate to the national convention of the Progressive Party, Spingarn attempted but failed to add a statement condemning racial discrimination to the party platform. He served as professor of comparative literature at Columbia University leaving over academic freedom. H.L. Mencken deemed him, “a professor in rebellion.” He served as a major in the U.S. Army during World War I ensuring the establishment of a training camp for Negro officers at Des Moines.

Co-founder of Harcourt, Brace and Company, most importantly, Spingarn took up his passion, racial justice. Spingarn became interested in the NAACP through the extradition case of colored sharecropper Steve Green who escaped from Arkansas after an argument with his landlord over pay and his crop. Outraged, Spingarn “plunged into the work of the association with his whole heart and soul,” becoming one of the NAACP’s first Jewish leaders, serving as chairman of the board of directors (1914-1919); treasurer (1919-1930); and president (1930 until his death in 1939).

In 1914, Spingarn went to Louisville, KY and sparked a Negro counter attack against ghettoization, culminating in the invalidation of the Louisville law that dictated where each race would live. Through his actions, the NAACP wiped away its first Jim Crow law.

Spingarn established the Spingarn Medal in 1914, the NAACP’s highest honor awarded annually for “the highest or noblest achievement by an American Negro.”

Spingarn amassed the world’s largest collection of clematis, 250 species. He lived with his wife, Amy Einstein Spingarn, in Manhattan and at their country estate, later, the Troutbeck Inn and Conference Center in Amenia, NY. Their children: Stephen, Edward, Hope and Honor. Upon his death, Spingarn’s brother, Arthur, succeeded him as NAACP president. His widow, Amy, was elected to fill his unexpired term on the board, serving for nearly 40 years and elected the first Director Emeritus. Spingarn’s will included a bequest to fund the Spingarn Medal in perpetuity. W. E. B. Du Bois dedicated his autobiography Dusk of Dawn to Spingarn’s memory, calling him, a “scholar and knight.”

THE SPINGARN MEDAL PURPOSE

THE SPINGARN MEDAL was instituted in 1914 by the late Joel Elias Spingarn (then Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), who gave annually until his death in 1939, a gold medal to be awarded “for the highest or noblest achievement by a living American Negro during the preceding year or years.” A fund sufficient to continue the award was set up by his will “to perpetuate the lifelong interest of my brother, Arthur B. Spingarn, of my wife, Amy E. Spingarn and of myself in the achievement of the American Negro.”

PURPOSE

The purpose of the medal is twofold – first to call the attention of the American people to the existence of distinguished merit and achievement among Americans of African descent, and secondly, to serve as a reward for such achievement, and as a stimulus to the ambition of colored youth.

CONDITIONS

The medal is presented annually to the man or woman of African descent and American citizenship, who shall have made the highest achievement during the preceding year or years in any honorable field of human endeavor. The Committee of Award is bound by no burdensome restrictions, but may decide for itself each year what particular act or achievement deserves the highest acclaim; the choice is not limited to any one field, whether of intellectual, spiritual, physical, scientific, artistic, commercial, educational or other endeavor. It is intended primarily that the medal shall be for the highest achievement in the preceding year, but if no achievement in any one year seems to merit it, the Committee may award it for work achieved in preceding years, or may withhold it. The medal is usually presented to the winner at the Annual Convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the presentation speech is delivered by a distinguished citizen.

A nine-person Committee of Award is selected by the NAACP Board of Directors. The Committee’s decision is final in all matters affecting the award.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE AWARD

Should be submitted, in writing, to the Secretary of the Committee of Award, at the NAACP National Office, by January 1 of each year. Such communications should state in detail the achievements of the person recommended.

109TH SPINGARN MEDALIST

DR. HENRY L. GATES, JR.

Literary Scholar, Professor, Historian, Filmmaker and Vocal Advocate for Social, Educational and Intellectual Equality for Black Americans.

July 17, 2024 | 109th Spingarn Medalist

115TH NAACP Convention | Las Vegas, NV

CITATION DR. HENRY L. GATES, JR.

109TH SPINGARN MEDALIST

The NAACP proudly offers its appreciation and gratitude to Dr. Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr. for years as a distinguished historian, journalist, literary scholar, professor, film-maker and vocal advocate for social, educational and intellectual equality for Black Americans. For his commitment in preserving and advancing the significance of African American history and literature particularly as a Professor and Director of Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, established as the W. E. B. Du Bois Research Institute in May 1975, making it the oldest research center focused on the study of the history, culture, and society of Africans and African Americans. For his efforts in building academic institutions to study Black culture.

In honor of his accomplishments as an Emmy Award, Peabody Award and NAACP Image Award-winner who has published numerous books and produced and hosted an array of documentary films including his groundbreaking genealogy and genetics series, “Finding Your Roots.” and most recent history series for PBS, “Gospel,” which premiered this year.

In praise of Dr. Gates advocating for the evaluation of Black literature based on the aesthetic criteria of its cultural roots, rather than relying on standards derived from Western or European traditions ensuring a more authentic understanding of Black literary works, highlighting their unique cultural perspectives and artistic merits.

In recognition of being a member of the first class awarded “genius grants” by the MacArthur Foundation, and the first African American scholar to be awarded the National Humanities Medal.

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE With Great Pride and Reverence presents The One-Hundred Ninth Spingarn Medal

To

Dr. Henry Louis “Skip“ Gates, Jr. Historian, Literary Critic, Professor, Filmmaker, Advocate for Equality Wednesday, July 17, 2024 | Las Vegas, NV

spingarn award ceremony

Host

Fox

Lift Ev’ry Voice And Sing

Greetings

Karen Boykin-Towns, Vice Chair, NAACP National Board of Directors, Brooklyn, NY

Derrick Johnson, President & CEO, NAACP, Jackson, MS

Invocation

Rev. Dr. Donald Chaney The Renaissance Fellowship, Inc.

Dinner Is Served

The

Spingarn Medal – Purpose

Leon W. Russell, Chair, NAACP National Board of Directors, Spingarn Award Committee, Tampa, FL

Performance

Raheem DeVaughn

Presentation Of The 109th Spingarn Medal

Dr. Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham

Victor S. Thomas Professor of History and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, Boston, MA

Recipient Of The Spingarn Medal

Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University, Boston, MA

Closing

God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again

Michael Turner, Member, NAACP National Board Of Directors, Detroit, MI

Benediction

Pastor Chris Conedy

LV Branch Religious Affairs Chair

HOST OF THE 109TH SPINGARN AWARD CEREMONY

VIVICA A. FOX

Vivica A. Fox has triumphantly built an international brand that stands on the strength that women can do anything. With an extensive body of work that encompasses television, stage and film credits, Vivica A. Fox is an inspiration as a Hollywood actress, generous philanthropist and accomplished businesswoman.

Indiana native and NAACP Image Award winner, Vivica was discovered by Hollywood producer Trevor Walton leading to soap opera stints on “The Young and The Restless,” “Days of Our Lives,” and “Generations.” She scored a role in the blockbuster “Independence Day” alongside Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum. Other film credits include: “Soul Food,” “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” with Oscar winner Halle Berry, and “Batman and Robin” alongside George Clooney. Oscar-winning director Quentin Tarantino handpicked her to star alongside Uma Thurman in the international box office hits “Kill Bill, Volumes 1 & 2.” She has also starred in a number of television series and sitcoms including “Out All Night” and the Lifetime mysteries series “Missing” where she also served as executive producer.

Vivica teamed with VH1 to produce the reality show “Glam God,” and with playwright and producer Je’Caryous Johnson to produce two touring plays sharing stages with Grammy Award winning singer Brian McKnight in “Cheaper to Keep Her,” as well as with Boris Kodjoe and acting legend Richard Roundtree in “Whatever She Wants.” Vivica also produced and starred in the cult favorite films: “The Salon,” “Two Can Play That Game,” and its sequel “Three Can Play That Game.”

Vivica expanded her brand and launched her own hair company – The Vivica Fox Hair Collection, offering a variety of high quality wigs and extensions where she makes donations of free hair to women who have lost their own hair to cancer-related illnesses.

PRESENTER OF THE 109TH SPINGARN MEDAL

PROFESSOR EVELYN BROOKS HIGGINBOTHAM

VICTOR S. THOMAS PROFESSOR OF HISTORY & AFRICAN & AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES

Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

PAST SPINGARN MEDALISTS

Mrs. Joel. E Spingarn, seated, widow of the donor of the Spingarn Medal, surrounded by seven distinguished recipients of this coveted award at a luncheon honoring Sammy Davis, Jr., 53rd Medalist, in New York City, March 30, 1969. From left: Roy Wilkins, 1964; John H. Johnson, 1966; Robert C. Weaver, 1962; Mrs. Mabel Keaton Staupers, 1951; Kenneth B. Clark, 1961; Miss Leontyne Price, 1965; and Mr. Davis, 1968.

NAACP 2024 SPINGARN AWARD COMMITTEE

Leon W. Russell, Chair, Tampa, FL

Hazel N. Dukes, New York, NY

Wade Henderson, Washington, D.C.

Elaine Jones, Washington, D.C.

Marva Smalls, New York, NY

Hon. Bobby Scott, Richmond, VA

Jesse K. Turner, Jr., Memphis, TN

SPINGARD MEDAL

PAST MEDALISTS

1 February 12, 1915 Professor Ernest E. Just*

2 February 22, 1916 Major Charles Young*

3 May 16, 1917 Harry T. Burleigh*

4 May 5, 1918 William Stanley Braithwaite*

5 June 27, 1919 Archibald H. Grimke

6 June 1, 1920 William Edwards Burghardt (W.E.B) DuBois*

Head of Physiology, Howard University Medical School for reasearch in biology.

Services in organizing the Liberian Constabulary and road in the Republic of Liberia.

Excellence in the field of creative music.

Distinguished acheivements in literature.

U.S. Consul in Santo Domingo; President of American Negro Academy; For seventy years of distinguished service to his race and country.

Author, founding the editor of The Crisis Magazine; founding and calling of Pan-African Congress; NAACP founder.

Presented by Charles E Whitman, Governor of New York, in the Ethical Culture Hall, New York, NY.

Presented by Samuel Walker McCall, Governor MA, at an NAACP mass meeting in Tremont Temple, Boston, MA.

Presented by United States Senator Wesley L. Jones, Washington, at a special meeting of the NAACP in Washington, D.C.

Presented by Charles F. Thwing, President, Western Reserve University, at the 10th NAACP Annual Conference, Cleveland, OH.

Presented by Bishop John Hurst, Chairman, COmmittee of Award, on the campus of Atlanta Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Presented by Bishop John Hurst, Chairman, Committee of Award, on the camps of Atlancta University at the 11th NAACP Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.

7 June 30, 1921

Charles S. Glipin*

8 June 20, 1922 Mary B. Talbert*

9 September 4, 1923 George Washington Carver*

10 July 1, 1924

Roland Hayes

11 June 30, 1925 James Weldon Johnson*

Notable performance in the title role of The Emperor Jones and for excellence as an actor.

Former President of the National Association of Colored Women and for continued service to women of color.

Head of Department of Reseach and Director of the Experiment Station of Tuskegee Inst; For researching Agricultural Chemisty.

Singer; For artistry through interpreting Negro folk song; soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Presented by the Representitive of the Governor of Michigan to a proxy of Mr. Gilpin’s at the 12th NAACP Annual Conference, Detroit, MI. Medal later presented to Mr. Gilpin in person Joel Spingarn in New York City.

Presented by Rabbi Solomon Foser, Newark, NJ, at the 13th NAACP Annual Conference, Newark, NJ.

Presented by Charles B. Griffith, Attorney general, KS, at the 14th NAACP Annual Conference, Newark, NJ.

Presented by Dr. Josiah H. Penniman, Provost and President, University of Pennsylvania, at the 15th NAACP Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA. Presentation by proxy due to Mr. Hayes absence in Europe. Personal presentation made on April 7, 1925 by Walter Damrosch, New York Symphony in New York City.

Former U.S. Consul in Venezuela and Nicaragua; author and secretary of NAACP.

Presented by Dr. W.E.B Du Bois, NAACP Founder, Editor, The Crisis Magazine and the sixth Spingarn Medalist, at the 16th NAACP Annual Conference, Denver, CO.

12 June 19, 1926 Carter G.Woodson*

13 June 28, 1927 Anthony Overton*

14 July 3, 1928 Charles W. Chestnut

15 July 2, 1929 Mordecai Wyatt Johnson*

16 July 1, 1930 Henry Hunt*

17 March 22, 1931 Richard Berry Harrison*

18 May 20, 1932 Robert Russa Moton*

19 July 1, 1933 Max Yergan*

20 June 29, 1934 William Taylor Burwell Williams*

21 June 28, 1935 Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune*

22 July 3, 1936 (posthumously) John Hope*

23 July 2, 1937 Walter White*

Historian and founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History; editor, Negro Orators and Their Orations; For his outstanding work as a historian.

President of Victory Life Insurance Company, the first Black company certified by the state of New York.

Author; For his pioneer work as a literary artist, depicting the life and struggle of American of Negro descent.

President of Howard Univeristy; For distinguished leadership as first Black president.

Principal of the Fort Valley High and Industrial School, Fort Velley, GA; For twenty-five years of service in the education of black students.

For his fine and reverent characterization of the Lord in arc Connelly’s Play – The Green Pastures.

Principal of the Tuskegee Insitute; For excellent leadership and service in the field of education.

American Y.M.C.A. Secretary, missionary of intelligence, tact and self-sacrifice; For the excellence of his work in Africa.

Dean of Tuskegee Insitute, long service as field agent of the Slater and Jeanes Funds and the General Education Board.

Founder and President of Bethune College; For outstanding leadership and service to education.

President of Atlanta University, distinguished leader of his race.

Executive Secretary of NAACP; For his personal investigaion of more that forty-one lynchings.

1938 NO AWARD GIVEN

24 July 2, 1939 Marian Anderson* For her special achievement in music.

25 July 19, 1940 Louis T. Wright

26 June 27, 1941 Richard Wright*

Surgeon; For his contribution to the healing of mankind and for his courageous position in the face of bitter attack.

Author; Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Native Son; For his outstanding creative literature.

Presented by Dr. John Hayes Holmes, New York, NY at the 17th NAACP Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Presented by Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, NAACP Founder, Founder and Editor, The Crisis Magazine, at the 18th NAACP Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

Presented by Burton R. Fitts, Lieutentant Governor, CA, at the 19th NAACP Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA.

Presented by Dr. Charles F Thwing, President Emeritus, Western Reserve University at the 21st NAACP Annual Conference, Clevland, OH.

Presented by Dr. William Allan Neilson, President, Smith College at the 21st NAACP Annual Conference, Springfield, MA.

Presented by Herbert H. Lehman, Lieutenant Governor, BY at the Mansfield Theater, New York City.

Presented by Bronson Cutting, U.S. Senator, NM, at the 23rd NAACP Annual Conference, Washington DC.

Presented by Edwin R. Embree, President, Rosenwald Fund at the 24th NAACP Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Presented by the Reverend J. Raymond Henderson, Atlanta, GA at the 25th NAACP Annual Conference, Oklahoma City, OK.

Presented by William Pickens, Field Secretary, NAACP at the 26th NAACP Annual Conference, St. Louis, MO.

Presented (posthumously) by Dr. Mordecai W. Johnson, President, Howard University and the 15th Spingarn Medalist, to Mrs. Hope at the 27th NAACP Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD.

Presented by Governor Frank Murphy, MI at the 28th NAACP Annual Conference, Detroit, MI.

Presented by Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, at the 30th NAACP Annual Conference, Richmond, VA.

Presented by Dr. Russell L. Cecil, Professor of Clinical Medicine, Cornell University Medical School, at the 31st NAACP Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

Presented by Elmer A. Carter, Member, New York State Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board at the 32nd NAACP Annual Conference, Houston, TX.

AWARD

27 July 19, 1942 A. Phillip Randolph*

28 June 6, 1943 William H. Hastie*

29 July 16, 1944 Charles Drew*

30 October 18, 1945 Paul Robeson*

31 June 28, 1946 Thurgood Marshall*

32 June 27, 1947 Dr. Percy Julian*

33 June 27, 1948 Channing H. Tobias*

34 July 17, 1949 Raplh J. Bunche*

35 June 25, 1950 Charles Hamilton Houston*

International President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters; For his role in securing the presidential order to establish the FEPC in 1941.

Jurist and Educator; For his distinuished career as a jurist and uncompromising champion of equal justice.

Scientist; For his outstanding work in blood plasma and research which led to establishment of blood plasma bank.

Singer and actor; For distinguished achievement in the theatre and concert stage.

Special Counsel for NAACP; For distinguished service as a lawyer before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Reseach Chemist; For many important discoveries that have saved many lives.

For his consistent role as a defender of fundamental American liberites.

International civil servant, acting UN mediator in Palestine; For singular service to the United Nations.

Chairman, NAACP Legal Committee and stalwart defender of democracy.

Presented by Bishop John A. Gregg, at the 33rd NAACP Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA.

Presented by Congressman Will Rogers, Jr., CA, at the 34th NAACP Annual Conference, Detroit, MI.

Presented by Dr. Ernest A. Hooton, Anthropologist, at the 35th NAACP Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Presented by Marshall Field, Publisher and Phianthropist, at a dinner meeting in the Roosevelt Hotel, New York City.

Presented by Robert W. Kenny, Attorney General, CA, at the 37th NAACP National Convention, Cincinnati, OH.

Presented by Dr. Harold Clayton Urey, Professor in Chemistry, University of Chicago, IL. at the 38th NAACP National Convention, Washington, DC.

Presented by Edwin R. Embree, former President of the Julius Rosenwald Fund at the 39th NAACP National Convention, Kansas City, MO.

Presented by Mme. V.L. Pandit, Indian Ambassador to the U.S., in the Hollywood Bowl at the 40th NAACP National Convention, Los Angeles, CA.

Presented by Erwin Griswold, Dean, Harvard University Law School. Accepted Posthumously by the Six yearold Charles H. Houston, Jr., at the 41st NAACP National Convention, Boston, MA.

36 June 29, 1951 Mabel Keaton Staupers*

37 June 27, 1952 Harry T. Moore*

38 June 26, 1953 Paul R. William

39 July 4, 1954 Theodore K. Lawless*

40 June 26, 1955 Carl J. Murphy*

41 December 8, 1956 Jack Roosevelt Robinson*

Leader of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses.

NAACP leader in the state of Florida and a martyr in the crusade for freedom.

Distinguished architect; For his pioneer contributions as a creative designer of livale attractive modern dwellings.

Physician, educator and philanthropist; For pioneering achievements in dermatology.

Dedicated editor, publisher and farsighted civic leader.

Brilliant and versatile athlete; For superb sportsmanship and for his singular role in athletics.

Presented by lillian Smith, Author, at the 42nd NAACP National Convention, Atlanta, GA.

Presented by Representative Clifford P. Case, NJ. Accepted Posthumously by his Mother, Mrs. rosa B. Moore, at the 43rd NAACP National Convention, Municipal Auditorium, Oklahoma City, OK.

Presented by Senator W. Stuart Symington, Missouri, at the 44th NAACP National Convention, St. Louis, MO.

Presented by Dr. Buell Gallagher, President, College of the City of New York, at the 45th NAACP National Convention, Dallas, TX.

Presented by New Jersey Governor Robert B. Meyner at the 46th NAACP National Convention, Atlantic City, NJ.

Presented at the Spingarn Award Luncheon meeting, hotel Roosevelt, New York City.

AWARD YEAR RECIPIENT HONOR

42 June 28, 1957 Martin Luther King, Jr.*

43 July 11, 1958

Mrs. Daisy Bates* and the Little Rock Nine, Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Thelma Mothershed, Melba Pattillo, Gloria Ray, Terrance Roberts, Jefferson Thoman*, Carlotta Walls

44 September 11, 1959 Edwared Kennedy (Duke) Ellington*

Dedicated and selfless clergyman; For leadership role in the Montgomery bus protest movement.

For their pioneer role in upholding the basic ideals of American democracy in the face of continuing harassment and constant threats of bodily injury.

PRESENTER

Presented by Bishop Richard S. Emrick, Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, at the 48th NAACP National Convention, Detroit, MI.

Presented by Dr. William E. Stevenson, President, Oberline College, at the 49th NAACP National Convention, Clevland, OH.

Composer and orchestra leader; For outstanding and unique musical achievements.

45 June 26, 1960 Langston Hughes* Poet, author and playwright.

46 July 16, 1961 Kenneth B. Clark*

47 July 8, 1962 Robert C. Weaver*

48 July 4, 1963 Medgar Wiley Evers*

49 June 23, 1964 Roy Wilkins*

50 January 2, 1965 Leontyne Price*

51 July 8, 1966 John H. Johnson*

52 July 11, 1967 Edward W. Brooke, lll

53 July 1968 Sammy Davis, Jr.*

54 July 2, 1969 Clarence M Mitchell, Jr.*

Professor of Psychology at the College of the City of New York, founder/director of the Northside Center for Child Development; For his dedicated service and inspired research in the field of psychology.

Administrator and home Finance Agency; For his long years of dedicated public service at municipal state and federal levels.

NAACP field secretary for the state of Mississippi; For his dedication and steadfast courage in the face of continued death threats.

NAACP Executive Director; For his leadership, integrity and his dedicated service.

Metropolitian Opera star, in recognition of her divinely inspired talent.

Founder/President of the Johnson Publishing Company of Chicago.

First African American to win popular election to the United States Senate since Reconstruction.

Broadway/Hollywood star and civil rights activist.

Director, NAACP Washington Bureau and civil rights lobbyist; For his privotal role in the enactment of civil rights legislation.

Presented by Benny Goodman aboard the U.S.S. Liner United States at New York City.

Presented by NAACP President, Arthur B. Spingarn at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, during the 51st NAACP National Convention, St. Paul, MN.

Presented by Dr. Otto Klineberg, Professor and Chairman, Department of Social Psychology, Columbia University, at the 52nd NAACP National Convention, Philadelphia, PA.

Presented by Earl B. Schwulst, President, Bowery Savings Bank, and Chairman, Commission on Race and Housing of the Fund for The Republic at the 53rd NAACP National Convention, Atlanta, GA.

Accepted Posthumously by his Wife, Myrlie Evers, at the 54th NAACP National Convention, Chicago, IL.

Presented by Dr. John Hope Franklin, Chairman, History Department, Brooklyn College, at the 55th NAACP National Convention.

Presented by Rudolf Bing, General Manager, Metropolitian Opera, at the NAACP Fellowship Dinner, New York City. Recipient was unable to be present at the 56th NAACP National Convention.

Presented by harry Golden, Author and Publisher, at the 57th NAACP National Convention, Los Angeles, CA.

Presented by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts, at the 58th NAACP National Convention, Boston, MA.

Presented by NAACP Executive Director Roy Wilkins, at the Spingarn Award Luncheon, Plaza Hotel, New York City, March 30, 1969 as Mr. Davis was abroad when designatedfor the Medal in July 1968.

Presented by Lucy Wilson Benson, President of the League of Women Voters, at the 60th NAACP National Convention, Jackson, MS.

55 June 30, 1970 Jacob Lawrence*

56 July 9, 1971 Leon Howard Sullivan*

57 July 4, 1972

Gordon Alexander Buchanan Parks*

58 July 3, 1973 Wilson C. Riles*

59 July 2, 1974 Damon J Keith*

60 January 11, 1976 Hank Aaron*

61 January 9, 1977 Alvin Ailey*

62 June 30, 1979

Artist, teacher and humanitarian.

Clergyman, activist and prophet.

In recognition of his unique creativity, as exemplified by his outstanding achievements as photographer, writer, film maker, and composer.

Educator, in recognition of the stature he attained as a national leader in the field of education.

Jurist; in tribute to his steadfast defense of constitiutional principles.

Athlete, in recognition of his singular achievement in the sport which symbolizes Americ – baseball; his impressive home run record.

Innovative dancer, coreographer and artistic director.

Author, biographer and lecturer, exhaustive research and literary skill combined in Roots

1978 NO AWARDS GIVEN

63 January 7, 1979 Andrew Jackson Young

64 June 26, 1979 Rosa L. Parks*

65 July 1, 1980 Rayford W. Logan*

66 June 30, 1981 Coleman Alexander Young*

Minisiter plenipotentiary and extraordinary United States Ambassador to the United Nations.

In recognition the the quiet courage and determination exemplified when she refused to surrender her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus.

Educator, historian, author; For his prodigious efforts to set before the Black American’s continuing struggle against oppression.

Mayor of Detroit, public servant and labor leader.

67 July 2, 1982 Benjamin Elijah Mays Educator, theologian and humanitatian.

Presented by Bayard Rustin, Executive director, A. Phillip Randolph Institute, at the 61st NAACP National Convention, Cincinnati, OH.

Presented by Andrew F. Brimmer, member, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System, at the 62nd NAACP National Convention, Minneapolis, MN.

Presented by Dr. Clifton R. Wharton, Jr., President, Michigan state University, at the 63rd NAACp National Convention, Detroit, MI.

Presented by John H Johnson, President, Johnson Publishing Company at the 64th NAACP National Convention, Indianapolis.

Presented by Congressman Charles C. Diggs, Jr., Detroit, MI, at the 65th NAACP National Convention, New Orleans, LA.

Presented by Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn at the Americana hotel, New York, NY.

Presented by Leonard DePaur, Renowned Conductor-Composer, at the New York Hilton Hotel, New York, NY.

Presented by Professor Benjamin Quarles, Chairman, Department of History, Morgan State University, at the 68th NAACP National Convention, St. Louis, MO.

Presented by Nathaniel S. Colley, Esq., Member NAACP National Board of Directors, Sacramento, CA in New York, NY.

Presented by Hon. Damon L. Keith, Chief U.S. Judge, Eastern District, Detroit, MI, at the 70th NAACP National Convention, Louisville KY.

Presented by Dr. W. Montague Cobb, President, NAACP, at the 71st NAACP National Convention, Miami Beach, FL.

Presented by Hon. Damon J. Keith, Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Court, Detroit, MI, at the 72nd NAACP National Convention, Denver, CO.

Hon. Edward W. Brooke, lll, Former United States Senator, Massachusetts, at the 73rd NAACP National Convention, Boston, MA.

AWARD YEAR

68 July 15, 1983 Lena Horne*

Artist, humanitarian and living symbol of excellence.

1984 NO AWARDS GIVEN

69 January 24, 1985 Tom Bradley*

70 December 7, 1985 William H. Cosby

71 July 3, 1986 Benjamin Lawson Hooks*

Mayor of Los Angelos, public servant, humanist.

Presented by Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. Former President, National Urban League, at the 74th NAACP National Convention, New Orleans, LA.

Presented by Bishop H. Hartford Brookins, Presiding, Twelfth Episcopal District A.M.E. Church, at the spingarn medal Award Dinner, Bonaventure Hotel, Los Angleles, CA.

72 July 9, 1987 Percy Ellis Sutton*

73 July 14, 1988 Frederick Douglass Patterson*

74 July 13, 1989 Jesse Louis Jackson

75 July 12, 1990 Lawrence Douglas Wilder*

Humorist, artist, educator, family man and humanitarian.

Executive Director, NAACP. In tribute to his precedent-setting accomplishments.

Public servant, businessman, community leader.

Educator, doctor of veterinary medicine, visionary an humanitarian.

Clergyman, political leader, civil rights activist; first American of African descent to become a major presidential candidate.

Governor, pulic servant, attorney and visionary in tribute to an extraordinary life of accomplishment.

Presented by Lena Horne, Singer, Actress, at the Spingarn Medal Award Dinner, Marriott Marquis hotel, New York, NY.

Presented by the Hon. Edward W. Brooke, Former U.S. Senator, Massachusetts, Partner, Law Firm of O’Connor & Hannan at the 77th NAACP National Convention, Baltimore, MD.

presented by the Rev. A.C. Sutoon, Meber, NAACP National Board of Directors and Hazel N. Dukes, President, NAACP NY State Conference of Brnaches and Member, NAACP National Board of Directors, at the Apollo Theatre.

Presented by the Honorable Franklin H. Williams, former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and President, The Phelps Stokes Fund, at the 79th NAACP National Convention, Washington, DC.

Presented by Jesse Louis Jackson, Jr., Son, at the 80th NAACP National Conventions, Detroit, MI.

Presented by the Honorable Percy E. Sutton, chairman, Innercity Broadcasting Corporation, Former President, borough of Manhattan, NY, at the 81st NAACP National Convention, Los Angleles, CA.

76 July 11, 1991 Colin L. Powell*

77 December 9, 1992 Barbara Jordan*

78 July 15, 1993 Dorthy Irene Height*

79 July 14, 1994 Maya Angelou*

General of the U.S. Army, 12th Chairman, Joint Cheifs of Staff, U.S. Department of Defense.

Lawyer, educator, political leader and stateswoman.

National Council of Negro Women, National YWCA, The Center for Radical Justice and President, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; For extraordinary leadership in advancing women’s rights.

Poet, author, actress, playwritght, producer, educator, and historian.

Presented by Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks, Executive Director/CEO, NAACP at the 82nd NAACP National Convention, Houston, TX.

Presented by Azie Taylor Morton, Director, Resource Coordination, Reading is Fundemental, former United States Treasurer, at the Spingarn Award Dinner, December 9, 1992, New York Hilton Hotel, New York, NY.

Presented by Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks, Executive Director/CEO, NAACP, at the 84th NAACP National Convention, Indianapolis, IN.

Presented by Oprah Winfrey, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Harpo Entertainment Group, at the 85th NAACP National Conventions, Chicago, IL.

AWARD YEAR RECIPIENT

80 July 13, 1995 John Hope Franklin*

HONOR

Historian, scholar and educator; in recognition of an unrelenting quest for truth and the enlightenment of Western Civilization.

PRESENTER

Presented by Julius L. Chambers, J.D. Chancellor, North Carolina University; former Director-Counsel NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund at the 86th NAACP National Convention.

81 July 11, 1996 A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr.*

82 July 1997 Carl T. Rowan*

83 July 1998 Myrlie Evers-Williams

84 July 15, 1999 Earl G. Graves, Sr.*

85 November 16, 2000 Oprah Winfrey

86 July 12, 2001

Vernon E. Jordan, Jr.*

87 July 1, 2002 John Lewis*

88 July 1, 2003

Constance Baker Motley*

89 July 15, 2004 Robert L. Carter*

90 July 14, 2005 Oliver W. Hill

91 July 20, 2006 Benjamin S. Carson, Sr.

Jurist, scholar, teacher and humanitarian; in honor of a distinguished jurist who emerged a giant jurisprudence during a three-decade tenure as the nation’s longest serving active Federal Judge.

Journalist, publicist, civic leader and public servant.

Civil rights activist, risk-taker, mother, true believer.

Founder, Black Enterprise Magazine; businessman, publisher, educator, advocate, entrepreneur, family man.

Actress, producer, educator, publisher and humanitarian.

Lawyer, Advisor to Presidents, Champion of Civil Rights and Human Rights, Exemplar and True Believer.

Public servant, protector of civil and human rights, community leader and inspirer of youth.

Civil rights pioneer, jurist, public official; For her commitment and pursuit of justice for all Americans.

Attorney, educator, federal judge and guardian of civil rights; For his extraordinary acheivement of winning twenty-one cases argued before the Supreme Court.

For his key role in the United States Supreme Court Case, Brown v. Board and his determined, quiet and persistent pursuit of justice.

In tribute to a alifetime of growth and singular achievement, from the bottom of his fifth grade class, to become the youngest ever Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery in the United States.

Presented by Dr. C. Delores Tucker, Chair National Political Congress of Black Women, president, Bethune DuBois Fund, Inc. at the NAACP 87th National Convention, Charlotte, NC.

Presented by Herry Florence, Vice President, Communication and Strategic Development, nissan motos, Corporation, at the 88th AACP National Convention.

Presented by Mrs. Coretta Scott King, founder, the King Center, Atlanta, GA, at the 89th Annual NAACP Convention, Atlanta, GA.

Presented by kenneth I. Chenault, President and Chief Operating Officer, American Express Company, 90th NAACP Annual Convention, New York City, NY.

Presented by Dr. Maya Angelou, Z. Smith Reynolds Professor of American Studies, Wake Forest University, at the 91st NAACP National Convention, Baltimore, MD.

Presented by Dr. Gardener Taylor, Pastor Emeritus, Concord Baptist Church of Christ, at the 92nd NAACP National Convention, New Orleans, LA.

Presented by Earl G. Graves, Sr. Publisher, Founder/CEO, Black Enterprise Magazine, at the 93rd NAACP National Convention, Houston, TX.

Presented by Derrick Bell, Esq. Visiting Professor, New York University Law School, at the 95th NAACP National Convention, Miami, FL.

Presented by Peggy Cooper Davis, John S.R. Shad Professor of Law, New York University Law School, at the 95th Annual NAACP National Convention, Philadelphia, PA.

Presented by Damon J. Keith, Senior Circuit Judge, 6th Circuit. U.S. Court of Appeals, Detroit, MI, at the 96th NAACP National Convention, Milwaukee, WI.

Presented by Catherine B. Reynolds, Chairman and CEO, Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation, at the 97th NAACP National Convention, Milwaukee, WI.

92 July 12, 2007 John Conyers, Jr.*

93 May 13, 2009 Ruby Dee*

94 July 16, 2009 Juliam Bond*

95 July 15, 2010 Cicely L. Tyson*

Guardian of civil rights and civil liberties, consummate legislator and public servant.

NO AWARD GIVEN

A consummate actress whose career has spanned some six decades in the theater, films, television and radio.

Educator, historian, poet, author, public servant. champion of Civil and Human Rights.

Versatile, dramatic actress of stage, film and television and most especially as a role model and her positive portrayal of African American women.

96 July 28, 2011 Frankie Muse Freeman* Legal advocate, public servant, civil rights champion.

97 February 15, 2013 Harry Belafonte*

98 July 17, 2013 Jessye Norman*

99 July 23, 2014 Quincy Jones

100 September 24, 2015 Sidney Poitier*

101 July 20, 2016 Hon. Nathaniel R Jones*

Superb vocalist, actor, director, produver, exemplar of civil rights and human rights.

Opera and concert artist.

Musician, Composer, Producer, Arranger, Conductor, Entrepreneur and Humanitarian.

Actor, film director author and diplomat.

Attorney, eminent federal judge, educator, author, public servant and internationally renowned guardian of civil and human rights.

Presented by Professor Charles Ogletree, Jr., Harvard Law School, at the 98th NAACP National Convention, Detroit, MI.

Presented by Leon Russell, 2008 Chairman of the Sppingarn Award Committee, at the DePalma Productions Studio, New Rochelle, NY.

Presented by Taylor Branch, Historian and Author, at the 100th NAACP National Convention, New York, NY.

Presented by kerry Washington, Actress of stage, screen and television at the 101st NAACP National Convention, Kansas City, MO.

Presented by Ambassador Andrew Jackson Young, Founding Principal & Chairman, Good Works International, at the 102nd NAACP National Convention, Los Angeles, CA.

Presented by Hon, Cory Booker, Mayor of the City of Newark, NJ at the NAACP National Convention, Los Angleles, CA.

Presented by the Honorable John Lewis, U.S. Congressman, 5th District of Georgia and Dr. Silas Norman, Jr., Associate Dean for Admissions, Diversity & Inclusion, Wayne State University, at the 104th NAACP National Convention, Orlando, FL.

Presented by Roslyn M. Brock, Chairnman, NAACP National Board of Directors at the the 105th NAACP National Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Presented by Myrlie Evers-Williams, NAACP Chairman Emeritus and 83rd spingarn Medalist at Spago, Beverly Hills, CA.

Presented by Anthony Foxx, U.S. Secretary, Department of Transportation, at the 107th NAACP National Convention, Cincinnati, OH.

103 July 18, 2018 Hon. Willie L. Brown, Jr.

104 July 24, 2019 Patrick H. Gaspard

Attorney, state assemblyman, speaker of the California Assembly, Mayor of San Fransico, public servant, author, newspaper columnist.

Diplomat, humanitarian, union executive, politicall strategist, working families advocate.

105 March 23, 2021 Misty Copeland Ballet dancer, author, humanitarian.

106 July 14, 2021 Dr. Cato T. Laurencin

Engineer, physician, scientist, professor.

Presented by the 42nd President of the United States, William “Bill” Clinton, at the 109th NAACP National Convention, San Antonio, TX.

Presented by Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder, National Action Network, at the 110th NAACP National Convention, Detroit, MI.

Presented by Susan Fales-Hill, television producer, at the virtual 52nd NAACP National Convention.

Presented by The Hon. Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., President Emeritus, Morehouse School of Medicine, at the virtual 112th NAACP National Convention.

107 July 29, 2022 James E. Clyburn

108 August 1, 2023 Dr. Hazel N. Dukes

Majority Whip, third-ranking Democrat, U.S. House of Representatives, statesman, educator, civil and human rights activist.

NAACP National Board Member; NAACP NewYork State Conference President; civil and human rights activist.

Presented by Brenda C. Murphy, President, NAACP South Carolina State Conference, at the 113th NAACP National Coonvention, Atlantic City, NJ.

Presented by the Hon. Hilary Rodham Clinton, 67th U.S. Secretary of State at the 114th NAACP National Convention, Boston, MA.

CHAIR, NAACP BOARD OF DIRECTORS

When Joel E. Spingarn envisioned the award that would bear his name, he wanted to create a historical record of the achievements and accomplishments of “Negroes” in the United States. Although, at first glance, his goal may have appeared to be paternalistic, in realities, it was recognition that was absolutely necessary in the early twentieth century, because it highlighted people and accomplishments, that Jim Crow era America, denied, downplayed and outright ignored. The Spingarn Award has become the highest form of recognition a Black American can received. Today, as it was a hundred years ago, the nation is excited to learn who will be the recipient of the 109th Annual NAACP Spingarn Medal.

It is my heartfelt pleasure to extend the heartfelt congratulations of the NAACP National Board of Directors and our entire organization, to Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr. for his lifetime of remarkable achievements as an historian, journalist, literary scholar, professor, filmmaker and vocal advocate for the social, educational and intellectual equality of Black Americans.

The Spingarn Medal recognizes Skip Gates as an educator, television and movie producer and brilliant documentarian of all of the kinds of achievement that the Spingarn seeks to exemplify. Although some may quibble with the individual details of a specific project, there can be no question that the work he does illuminates the work and history of African’s in America and provides the entire world with a window into those achievements and for many who would deny those achievements absolute documentation of the creativity and brilliance of the Community this Association has represented for the last 115 years and indeed to a people who have made significant contributions to the development of this nation since the first ships from Europe landed in what they called the “New World”.

We applaud Dr. Gates for his dedication, hard work, and the excellence that he has demonstrated with absolute brilliance, creativity, determination and passion.

Receiving an award is not just a moment of celebration, but also a reflection of the awardee’s commitment to their craft and their unwavering determination to reach their goals.

This 109th Spingarn Medalist continues the tradition of serving as a motivator and motivation for others to strive for even higher heights and to continue their efforts to positively the lives of African Americans. By doing so, he forces the entire nation and world to recognize the contributions made by the African American “BLACK” Community. The NAACP is absolutely delighted to recognize the life and work of Dr. Henry Louis “Skip” Gates.

PRESIDENT & CEO, NAACP

I am honored to recognize the NAACP’s 109th Spingarn Medalist, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Sentiments with respect to the tremendous contributions of Professor Gates to literature, documentary filmmaking, and to the history of our people as a whole, are those of highest distinction. His work has been groundbreaking and has earned numerous accolades over the years.

It is not only admired but also trusted; influencing a new sense of ancestral belonging, pride, and dignity in who we are as a people, our abundant and rich history, as well as why the work we currently do for a more just democracy is of the utmost importance. Professor Gates has been a valued and thought-provoking partner in our advocacy, and we have gleaned from his award-winning research and conclusions. It is an immense pleasure to present the Association’s highest honor for outstanding achievement by an African American – to literary genius, one of America’s foremost authorities on our Black history, and a friend of the NAACP – Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

DR. HENRY L. GATES, JR.

Literary Scholar, Professor, Historian, Filmmaker and Vocal Advocate for Social, Educational and Intellectual Equality for Black Americans.

July 17, 2024 | 109th Spingarn Medalist

115TH NAACP Convention | Las Vegas, NV

Henry Louis Gates Jr., born on September 16, 1950, is a distinguished American literary critic, professor, historian, and filmmaker. Currently serving as the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and the director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, Gates has made significant contributions to the recognition and understanding of African American literature as an integral part of the Western canon.

Gates, a trustee of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, has unearthed the earliest known African American novels, showcasing his commitment to preserving and studying historical texts. His extensive publications and scholarly work have played a pivotal role in advancing the understanding of African American literature’s significance.

In addition to his academic achievements, Gates has made a lasting impact as the host of the PBS television series “Finding Your Roots” since 2012. This groundbreaking show combines expert research in genealogy, history, and genetics to unveil the ancestral histories of prominent American figures, contributing to a broader understanding of cultural heritage.

Born in Keyser, West Virginia, Gates’s early life, vividly portrayed in his memoir “Colored People” (1994), reflects his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a trailblazing intellectual. After graduating summa cum laude from Yale University in 1973, Gates earned a Ph.D. in English literature from Clare College, Cambridge.

Gates’s academic career includes influential roles at Yale, Cornell, and Duke University before settling at Harvard in 1991. As the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor, he teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses and serves as the director of the Hutchins Center, contributing significantly to the study of Black culture.

His commitment to preserving African American history is evident in projects like the Black Periodical Literature Project and the acquisition of “The Image of the Black in Western Art.” Gates’s research as a MacArthur Fellow led to the discovery and authentication of groundbreaking novels like “Our Nig” and “The Bondwoman’s Narrative.”

Beyond academia, Gates has been a vocal advocate for social, educational, and intellectual equality for Black Americans. His role as the editor-in-chief of the “Oxford Dictionary of African American English” underscores his dedication to documenting and celebrating the linguistic contributions of historical and contemporary Black figures.

Gates’s involvement in television programs such as “African American Lives”, “Faces of America”, “Finding Your Roots” demonstrates his commitment to exploring diverse ancestries and histories. His critically acclaimed PBS documentary series, “The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross,” earned him the 2013 Peabody Award and a NAACP Image Award.

NAACP NATIONAL OFFICERS

LEON W. RUSSELL Chair

JANETTE MCCARTHY WALLACE General Counsel/Secretary

JESSE H. TURNER, JR. Treasurer

KAREN BOYKIN-TOWNS Vice Chair

ALPHONSO BRAGGS Assistant Secretary

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

AKOSUA ALI

ALAN LAZOWSKI

ALEXIA DUKES (Y)

ALICE HUFFMAN

ALPHONSO BRAGGS

ASHANTA GLEASON (Y)

BETTY ANDREWS

BISHOP DENNIS V. PROCTOR

BISHOP MARVIN THOMAS, SR. CARMEN TAYLOR CHANNING HILL (Y)

CLAUDE CUMMINGS

DEMAR L. ROBERTS

DR. ADORA OBI NWEZE DR. DWAYNE PROCTOR DR. HAZEL N. DUKES

ELDER EDWARD DUBOSE FRANCESCA MITCHELL (Y)

FREADA KAPOR KLEIN

GARY BLEDSOE GEORGE GRESHAM

CHAIR EMERITI

MYRLIE EVERS-WILLIAMS H. JULIAN BOND*

REV. DR. ROSLYN M. BROCK

*Deceased

GEORGETTE DIXON

GIA GREENIDGE (Y)

GLORIA J. SWEET-LOVE

JAMES GALLMAN

JORDAN WALKER

JOSEPH COTTON

JESSE H. TURNER, JR.

KAREN BOYKIN-TOWNS

KATHERINE T. EGLAND KENYA COX

MITCHELL (Y)

BIVENS

DERRICK JOHNSON President/CEO

YVONNE WHITE Assistant Treasurer

RANDI WEINGARTEN

CURRY

DIRECTORS EMERITI

DAISY BATES*

DR. EUGENE T. REED*

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR /CEO EMERITI

BENJAMIN L. HOOKS*

BOARD MEMBER EMERITI

WILLIAM LUCY, HON. FRED BANKS

OFFICERS

DR. DWAYNE PROCTOR Chair

jJANETTE MCCARTHY WALLACE General Counsel/Secretary

ANGELA DORN

ANTOINETTE BROCK JOHNSON

BARBARA MARCIN

BRITTNEY CALLOWAY

CAROLE YOUNG

CHRISTINA HOLLENBACK

CHUKWUNDI ONIKE

DONNELL WHITE

DOUG THORNELL

DR. GARTH GRAHAM

DR. JOHN E. ARRADONDO

ED FOSTER SIMEON

CELOIS STEELE Vice Chair

THOMAS L. KALAHAR Treasurer

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

FEDRICK INGRAM

JAMES HARRIS

JANA HOLT

JANICE BRYANT HOWROYD

JOHN SPINNATO

KENNETH E. DOBSON

LACHANDRA WHITE

LIVINGSTON ALBRITTEN, JR.

LORI GEORGE

MAYA J. BERMINGHAM

NA ENG

NATE MILES

NICHOLAS WIGGINS

OTHO E. KERR

PAMELA ALEXANDER

RAQUEL BONE

REV. KEITH NORMAN

SARITA JAMES

SHAZZIA KHAN

TANYA LEAH LOMBARD

TONYA VEASEY

YOLANDA EGLAND WILSON

YUSUF GEORGE

ZAFAR BROOKS

ZEPHANII SMITH EISENSTAT

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

LARCINE BLAND

LAURA BLACKBURNE

DR. MARCELLA MAXWELL, ED.D*

MYRLIE EVERS-WILLIAMS

PATRICK GASTON

*Deceased

Connecting people and possibilities.

At FedEx, we strive to be as diverse as the world we serve. After all, our business is all about connecting people, places, and cultures. That’s why we encourage diversity within our organization and celebrate it in communities around the world.

We are proud to support the 2024 NAACP Spingarn Awards and National Conference.

We also would like to congradulate Henry Louis Gates Jr. as the 2024 Spingarn Award Recipient

Great public schools are places where students feel safe, have a sense of belonging, and can receive an education that prepares them for the real world. Great public schools are places where parents and educators work together so each student has the support and opportunity they deserve to thrive and pursue their dreams. That is why we ask you to join the NEA as we demand an inclusive, culturally responsive public education system in which every student and educator is treated with dignity and respect, no exceptions, through our Demand the Freedom to Learn Pledge.

This year marks the 70th Anniversary of the landmark decision of Brown v. Board of Education

Following the decision of Brown v. Board of Education, vouchers were created and used by school districts to enable white students to attend private schools, which could (and still can) limit admission based on race. As a result, the schools that served those white students were closed, and schools that served Black students remained chronically underfunded— rooted inherently in segregation, racism, and enforced patterns of discrimination.

NEA continues to fight for adequate and equitable school funding, so that all students, of every race and every place, have the funding they need to learn without limits. If we’re serious about doing what’s right for every child’s future, let’s do what works: Support public schools by electing pro-public education candidates in Election 2024.

NOW, THE WORLD IS YOURS.

At Nissan, we believe diversity and inclusion strengthens us as individuals and as a company, creating powerful opportunities for innovation, excellence and growth. The Congressional Black Caucus Institute shares this priority, which is why we are proud sponsors of the 115th NAACP National Convention

The Communications Workers of America congratulate Springarn Medal Recipient Dr.

Dr. Gates' scholarship has enriched our understanding of our diverse literary heritage and his explorations of genealogy and cultural identity have highlighted the ways in which we are connected to one another.

THE 109TH SPINGARN AWARD

Spingarn Freedom Fund awards Gala

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2024, 7PM

115TH NAACP NATIONAL CONVENTION | LAS VEGAS, NV THANK YOU!

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