LCCR Honors Civil Rights Icon and U.S. Representative John Conyers
Feature Story by Tyler Lewis - 4/30/2008
The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) will honor Rep. John Conyers, D. Mich., at its annual Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award Dinner on May 14 in Washington, D.C.
LCCR is honoring Rep. Conyers for the indelible mark he has made on civil rights in the U.S.
"Rep. Conyers' record speaks for itself. He has been a leader on civil rights for decades, using his position in Congress to achieve greater equity for African Americans and all Americans," said Wade Henderson, president and CEO of LCCR.
Rep. Conyers is the highest ranking Black congressman and the second most senior member in the House. He is currently the chair of the House Judiciary Committee.
He was elected to Congress in 1964. His re-election in 2006 marked the beginning of his 21st term, making him the longest serving Black member of Congress.
During his 40 years in Congress, Rep. Conyers has been an advocate for the civil rights of all Americans. He championed major civil rights legislation, including the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the Martin Luther King Holiday Act of 1983, the Motor Voter Act of 1993, the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
In addition, he is one of the original founders of the Congressional Black Caucus, which was created to achieve greater equity for Black Americans.
LCCR's Civil Rights Award was named for former United States vice president, senator, and civil rights pioneer Hubert H. Humphrey, whose years of public service, leadership, and dedication to equal opportunity changed the face of America.
Awardees are selected based on their distinguished contributions to the advancement of civil and human rights. Previous recipients include Senator Edward Kennedy; former President William J. Clinton; Representative John Lewis; civil rights leader Julian Bond; disability rights advocate Justin Dart; the filmmakers behind the Academy Award-winning movie, "Crash;" and actor-activist Danny Glover.
