Image Credit: Publicist
The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) will hold its 34th National Equal Justice Awards Dinner (NEJAD), themed “Truth Is Power,” on Tuesday, May 10, at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.
LDF’s signature event is an opportunity to recognize and honor leaders in law, the arts, business, and philanthropy who have demonstrated a commitment to the promotion of racial justice and equality. The evening will also serve as an opportunity to celebrate the tremendous civil rights work that has been accomplished by LDF over the past year.
“Since the organization’s founding in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund has been an ardent defender of civil rights, advocating for the social, political, educational, and economic advancement of Black Americans,” said Janai S. Nelson, LDF’s President and Director-Counsel. “This year, as we return to celebrating in person, we are proud to honor the groundbreaking and inspirational achievements of the legendary Stevie Wonder, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, and LDF’s outgoing President and Director-Counsel Sherrilyn Ifill.
“Our honorees have unapologetically used truth as power. They have refused to back down when others tried to silence them. And they have held their convictions fiercely and been unyielding to false narratives. Most importantly, they have used truth to shape outlooks, inform mindsets, and touch souls. I hold deep admirations for each of them.”
LDF’s inaugural Icon Award will be awarded to Stevie Wonder, in recognition of his steadfast work throughout his illustrious career, spanning over half a century, which embodies LDF’s values and demonstrates his commitment to confronting the barriers that face Black Americans and other marginalized communities.
Nikole Hannah-Jones, journalist, professor, and author of The 1619 Project, will be recognized with the Spirit of Justice Award, in honor of her unflagging courage and fierce dedication to speak truth to power throughout her prolific career.
The evening will also honor Sherrilyn Ifill, LDF’s outgoing President and Director-Counsel, as she will be awarded the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of her tremendous contributions to LDF and her tireless commitment to advancing racial justice.
The evening will also feature special video messages from former First Lady Michelle Obama along with civil rights activist and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. In addition, the Dance Theater of Harlem will present two special performances.
Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, who subsequently became the first Black Supreme Court Justice, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread, state-sponsored racial inequality. From our early beginnings to the present, LDF’s mission has always been transformative to achieve racial justice, equality, and a more inclusive society.
Although great strides have been made as a country as a result of LDF’s historic work and more, there are still significant hurdles to overcome to achieve the status of a true multi-racial, multi-ethnic democracy. The numerous affronts to equality and democracy since spring 2020 have brought our nation close to the brink of unraveling. LDF’s work to challenge threats like voter suppression, housing and employment discrimination, unconstitutional policing practices, and educational and economic disparities, could not be more urgent. At every turn, LDF has been there, fighting in the courts, in the halls of Congress and state houses, and in communities around the country.
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