The 34th annual Freedom Award ceremony, hosted by the National Civil Rights Museum, paid homage to a trio of accomplished individuals known for their enduring contributions to civil and human rights. As reported by Action News 5, Memphis native Velma Lois Jones, along with Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League, and Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman, were the three distinguished honorees of the evening.
Jones, a pioneering educator, has the distinction of being the first African American elected president of the Tennessee Education Association and the first woman elected President of the NAACP Memphis branch. Reflecting on her journey, Jones said, "Coming from nothing. I came from nothing. A little girl in North Memphis." Her story serves as an inspiration to many in her community. "They say, ‘What good can come out of North Memphis?’ Well, I am one of those Oprah’s [who say], ‘What good can come out of Nashville?’" Jones told Action News 5.
During the commemorative event, Morial expressed his concern for civil liberties and economic opportunities in the current climate. "In this moment, this museum and what’s inside there can teach us some lessons and those lessons are I think are lessons of courage, and the lesson of not being fearful in a time when Civil Rights and economic opportunity seem to be under attack," Morial said in an interview with WREG News. Among the attendees' concerns was the presence of the National Guard in urban areas, which Morial stated was "not needed, nor necessary, nor wanted."
Mark Suzman, on the other hand, brought a global perspective on the fight against poverty and racial injustice. A veteran of the United Nations' efforts to combat poverty, Suzman has been a staunch advocate for the equitable distribution of resources. "The world is slashing billions of dollars in global health and development funding, and if these cuts persist, the consequences will be devestating," he warned, according to Commercial Appeal. Suzman calls upon his personal experiences from apartheid-era South Africa as a driving force behind his mission.
The Freedom Award ceremony, a fixture in Memphis' cultural calendar, continues not only to recognize significant achievements but also to spur dialogue and action in the pursuit of justice and equality. Host Larenz Tate underscored the significance of the celebration as an embodiment of hope and an affirmation of the city's spirit. "We won’t stop, we won’t continue to stop celebrating who we are and the things that we’ve done, even the fact that so much is going on in the country right now, we have to remember about having that true American dream," Tate said, as quoted by WREG News.
