Special to The Truth<\/p>\n
The National Civil Rights Museum is proud to announce the distinguished honorees for the 34th Freedom Award, recognizing their exceptional contributions to civil and human rights. The Museum\u2019s signature event, the Freedom Award, pays tribute to individuals who have shown unwavering commitment to advancing truth, equity, and justice in a time when those values are under threat.<\/p>\n
The esteemed 2025 Freedom Award honorees are:<\/p>\n
MARC MORIAL \u2013 As President and CEO of the National Urban League since
\n2003, Marc Morial has transformed the 100-plus-year-old civil rights
\norganization with a renewed focus on economic empowerment, education, and
\ncriminal justice reform. His leadership has expanded opportunities for
\nunderserved communities and solidified the Urban League\u2019s position as one
\nof the nation\u2019s most influential civil rights organizations.<\/p>\n
VELMA LOIS JONES \u2013 A lifelong Memphian, trailblazing educator, civil
\nrights leader, and community advocate, Velma Lois Jones\u2019 service has
\nshaped generations. She made history as the first classroom teacher elected
\npresident of both the Memphis Education Association and the Tennessee
\nEducation Association, where she served as the longest-tenured president in
\nthe organization\u2019s history. She is the first woman elected president of
\nthe NAACP Memphis Branch and served with distinction internationally and
\nregionally with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.<\/p>\n
MARK SUZMAN \u2013 CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mark Suzman has
\ndedicated his life to addressing injustice and inequality worldwide. From
\nhis upbringing in apartheid South Africa to his work with the United
\nNations and the Gates Foundation, he has built global partnerships to
\nadvance health, education, and economic opportunity for all.<\/p>\n
The 34th Freedom Award ceremony will be held Thursday, October 16, 2025, at
\n7:00 p.m. Central at the historic Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, TN. The
\nevening begins with the Pre-Award Gala and Red Carpet at 5:30 p.m. on Main
\nStreet in front of the adjacent Halloran Centre.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s event will feature a special performance by Wendy Moten, the
\nacclaimed vocalist and Memphis native celebrated for her powerhouse
\nperformances on NBC\u2019s \u201cThe Voice\u201d and international music stages.<\/p>\n
The celebration extends beyond the evening program with the Freedom Award
\nStudent Forum on the morning of October 16. At Mississippi Boulevard
\nChristian Church, the inspiring event that engages middle school, high
\nschool and college students nationwide both in person and virtually to
\nexplore their role in creating positive social change. The Keeper of the
\nDream Award will also honor outstanding youth leaders already making a
\ndifference in their communities.<\/p>\n
The presenting sponsor for this year\u2019s Freedom Award is FedEx with
\nsignature sponsors including the Hyde Family Foundation and Nike.<\/p>\n
Sponsorship offers unique opportunities for businesses and organizations to
\nalign with one of the most respected civil and human rights events in the
\nworld. Sponsors receive premium event access, brand visibility, and the
\nchance to be part of an inspiring global platform that celebrates
\nleadership and justice.<\/p>\n
The NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel
\nwhere civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated,
\ngives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from
\nslavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of
\nvisitors from around the world have come annually. The Museum is steadfast
\nin its mission to honor and preserve the site of Dr. Martin Luther King,
\nJr.\u2019s assassination. \u00a0It chronicles the American civil rights movement
\nand tell the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights, serving as a
\ncatalyst to inspire action to create positive social change. \u00a0A Smithsonian
\nAffiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum
\nis recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of
\nMuseums and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and
\nlibraries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Special to The Truth The National Civil Rights Museum is proud to announce the distinguished honorees for the 34th Freedom Award, recognizing their exceptional contributions to civil and human rights. The Museum\u2019s signature event, the Freedom Award, pays tribute to individuals who have shown unwavering commitment to advancing truth, equity, and justice in a time […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[251],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[310],"class_list":["post-17149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-national-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17149"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17150,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17149\/revisions\/17150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17149"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=17149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}