A nod to devoted fathers across Shelby County unfolded at the Holiday Inn - University of Memphis, where the Annual Salute to Fatherhood Awards Dinner took place this past June 15. According to Shelby County's official announcement, the event, free to the public, celebrated father figures who embody commitment and leadership.
Hosted by Shelby County Commissioner Mickell Lowery, along with the Memphis Urban League and Minding Your Mental Health, the program’s goal was to recognize and reward fathers for their impact on families and community, with Commissioner Lowery stating, "This event exemplifies the vital role fathers play in shaping families and strengthening our communities. We are proud to recognize their dedication and impact." The affair featured a lineup of honorees - including Hershel James, Johnson Saulsberry, and Edd Williams, the value of their contributions is clear, but what remains unsaid is the countless unspoken sacrifices each has made.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. J. Lawrence Turner, Senior Pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, whose presence underscored the day's significance. The heralded gathering underscored the often overlooked but critical role that fathers, grandfathers, and significant paternal figures play in nurturing familial and societal bonds.
Honors were bestowed upon several local patriarchs, namely Carlos Fifer, Daniel Watson, and Andre Wharton, along with Charles Porter, Michael Hooks Sr, Andy Sawyer, Jackie Beans, and Darrell Cobbins - each name an echo of the strength and devotion reverberating within the walls of community and kinship. The tribute to these men was a profound acknowledgment of their labor, a labor that is often silent, frequently invisible to the public eye, yet foundational to the very fabric of our shared existence.
