This year the Chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors, Roslyn M. Brock, will present the prestigious Chairmanβs Award to individuals and organizations who have used their distinct platforms to be agents of change.
The recipients are Brittany βBreeβ Newsome; Justice League NYC; Concerned Student 1950 Collective at the University of Missouri, Columbia; The University of Mississippi NAACP College Chapter; Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III; Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley; Rev. Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant, and Jussie Smollett. The presentation will take place during the 47thNAACP Image Awards, broadcast live on Friday, February 5 (9:00 p.m. ET)Β on TV One, the civil rights organization announced today.
βIt is a rare privilege for me to present the NAACP Chairmanβs 2016 Award to an outstanding group of trailblazing leaders all under the age of 50 who have given voice and vision to the mantra that black lives matter,β stated Roslyn M. Brock, Chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors. βThe five individuals and three organizations have raised awareness of social, educational, and economic injustice from college campuses, church pulpits and the streets, and exemplify what this award symbolizes -βCourage Will Not Skip this Generation.β
The NAACP Chairmanβs Award is bestowed in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service. Past honorees include Attorney General of the United States, Eric H. Holder, Jr., United States Navy Vice Admiral Michelle Howard, Radio One Founder and Chairperson Cathy Hughes, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, Tyler Perry, Former Vice President Al Gore and Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai, Aretha Franklin, Bono, then-Senator Barack Obama, The Dave Matthews Band, Danny Glover, and Forest Whitaker.
The 47th NAACP Image Awards is sponsored by AMC, AT&T, Bank of America, Comcast, Chrysler/UAW, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, Hyundai Motors America, The Walt Disney Company, and Wells Fargo.
