Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Honors Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Awardees
Feature Story by Ed Fichter - 6/15/2004
More than one thousand members of the civil rights community gathered at the Washington Hilton in May to salute this year's Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award honorees and the recipient of a special Chairperson's Award.The Humphrey Award is presented by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) to those whose "selfless and devoted service in the cause of equality" best exemplifies the spirit of Hubert H. Humphrey – vice-president, senator, and outspoken civil rights pioneer.
This year's honorees were:
Connie Morella
Currently the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Ambassador Constance Morella is recognized for the integrity, courage, and consistency she has brought to the cause of civil and human rights during an outstanding career of public service. During her sixteen years in the U.S. House of Representatives, she championed crucial legislation on civil rights restoration, fair housing, rights of persons with disabilities, women's rights, minimum wage, affirmative action, and religious liberties. Ambassador Morella stands as a shining example of bipartisan support for initiatives that will enable our nation to fulfill its promise of equality, equal opportunity, and mutual respect.
Tom Joyner
Tom Joyner's commitment to civil rights spans years of selfless and courageous dedication to social and economic justice. As the host of ABC Radio's "The Tom Joyner Morning Show," he is known as the "Hardest Working Man in Radio," while establishing himself as one of the hardest working advocates for equality and equal opportunity. He has raised the nation's consciousness on countless consumer issues, championed voting rights, and, by emphasizing the importance of the census, has personally encouraged millions of African Americans to stand up and be counted. With humor and engagement, he daily draws millions of Americans to listen to the voice of justice, fairness, and equal opportunity.
Gerald McEntee
As International President of AFSCME and LCCR Treasurer, Gerald McEntee has been a hard-working advocate for workers' rights, a theme that is central to the mission of LCCR. Mr. McEntee's success is rooted in his commitment to coalition building – a hallmark of the civil rights community's history and success. His ability to unite the labor community has protected the rights and enriched the lives of individual workers and their families. The civil rights coalition is fortunate to have Gerald McEntee as a steadfast champion of worker rights and articulate spokesperson for our common mission.
Chairperson's Award
Joining in the evening's honors was Dr. Irwin Jacobs, founder and CEO of Qualcomm, Inc. who received the LCCR Chairperson's Award of Special Merit from LCCR Chair Dr. Dorothy I. Height. On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark Brown v. the Board of Education decision, Dr. Height commended Dr. Jacobs for his trailblazing initiatives to promote quality education for all Americans and for helping the civil rights community to "commemorate the past and help build the America of the future."
Remarking on the breadth and diversity of the honorees, LCCR Executive Director Wade Henderson noted, "...these extraordinary champions of civil rights are vivid reminders of how the past has informed our current initiatives, how the present holds particular challenge to all who believe in civil rights, and how our future success will depend on leaders such as these to advance social and economic justice."
The annual dinner, LCCR's principal fund-raiser, is noted for bringing together people from all walks of life – members of both houses of Congress, officials from the Executive Branch, business leaders, educators, attorneys, and young people representing the next generation of civil and human rights advocates.
Next year's awards celebration is scheduled for May 4, 2005.
