By D. Kevin McNeir Particular to the AFRO
With the luxurious, Black-owned Salamander Resort serving because the venue, a number of distinguished African American leaders have been honored throughout the Nationwide Motion Community’s (NAN) annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Awards Breakfast on Jan. 19 in Washington, D.C.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president, NAN, joined by M.L. King III and his spouse, Arndrea Waters King, acknowledged advocates who’ve superior Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream.
Honorees included former U.S. Legal professional Basic Eric H. Holder Jr.; Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott; BET Co-Founder and the Salamander Assortment CEO Sheila Johnson; Congressional Black Caucus Basis President and CEO Nicole Austin-Hiller; veteran political strategist, former DNC Chair and award-winning media commentator Donna Brazile and youth chief Eric Carpenter-Grantham.
In April, NAN will mark its thirty fifth anniversary of civil rights activism throughout its annual conference in New York Metropolis, the place the group is predicated.
King Day 2026 takes place because the federal authorities maintains efforts to remove most of the issues for which Dr. King fought. Final month, the Trump administration got here below hearth after the Nationwide Parks Service eliminated King Day and Juneteenth, a federal vacation since 2021, from its free days in 2026 — but added the president’s birthday to its calendar.
Final 12 months, the Trump administration launched a campaign in opposition to range, fairness and inclusion (DEI) in each the private and non-private sectors. Rev. Sharpton and NAN have led the hassle in opposition to these actions by means of a sequence of measures together with “buycotts” in help of firms like Costco, and publicly denouncing those that have deserted historic DEI commitments after the homicide of George Floyd.
Sharpton mentioned reaching progress within the wrestle for civil rights “just isn’t a miracle, it’s a mandate.”
“Let me be clear, they didn’t get up at some point and provides us this vacation – it occurred due to years of exhausting work led by of us like Coretta Scott King, Congressman John Conyers, Stevie Marvel and lots of extra,” mentioned Sharpton. “Every part Dr. King stood for is now in danger together with the Voting Rights Act.”
Sharpton gave a robust warning to these in attendance.
“Don’t be deceived – the president desires this to be the final King Vacation in America. It’s not sufficient for them to kill the dreamer. Now, they wish to kill the dream,” he mentioned.
Throughout King III’s remarks, he reminded the viewers of one in every of his father’s most memorable descriptions of individuals and the selection we should make as a part of the human household.
“There are lots of battles earlier than us right now and we should resolve, as my dad usually mentioned, if we’ll act as thermostats or thermometers,” he mentioned. “Thermostats merely report the temperature, however thermometers regulate the warmth – they decide what’s happening. We can not neglect the place we got here from. And if we’re prepared to work collectively to comprehend Dr. King’s dream, then the dream is for all of us to say.”
Award recipients share vignettes of unforgettable moments of their lives
After their remarks, Sharpton welcomed every of the honorees to the stage for photographs and a chance to share their ideas. Shows to every award winner have been preceded by a video that showcased seminal moments of their lives.
The Lifetime of Excellence in Public Service Award was offered to former US Legal professional Basic Eric H. Holder Jr., who mentioned whereas now we have a president who’s “testing our establishments and beliefs, we can not neglect our objective – our mission.”
His feedback got here after a video from his buddy and former boss, President Barack Obama, which illustrated the profound respect the previous president has for Holder, the primary Black man to function Legal professional Basic.
“Trump has weaponized the Division of Justice, is ordering regulation enforcement to make use of Gestapo-like techniques and is asking for unprecedented gerrymandering. In the meantime, he clings to energy like an insecure dictator. However we’ve been examined earlier than,” mentioned Holder. “The distinction is somebody has all the time appeared prepared to assist us. This time, there isn’t any calvary. We can not wait on a miracle. This time, we have to be the cavalry.”
Mayor Scott, the recipient of the Visionary Award was lauded by leaders like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. Whereas unable to attend the occasion, Moore spoke by way of video in regards to the important adjustments which have occurred in Appeal Metropolis because the two-term mayor assumed the helm.
As soon as on the podium, Scott spoke to why he has labored so exhausting to scale back violence in Baltimore Metropolis.
“I witnessed my first taking pictures after I was simply 10 years previous and its impression was so profound. I keep in mind saying that at some point I wished to be the mayor of Baltimore so I might change issues for the higher,” Scott mentioned. “And regardless of what some falsely report–after a 12 months of 300-plus homicides– in 2025, we diminished that quantity to 123.”
Scott has been lauded across the nation for the lives saved.
“We noticed homicides decline 50 % over a five-year interval whereas non-fatal shootings dropped by 57 %. However I’m nonetheless not glad. One life misplaced is one too many. There’s no query that the home is on hearth. The one query is who will put out the flames?” mentioned Scott. “Our ancestors have been the builders of Washington, D.C. And from what we’ve seen from the present administration, we should function the firefighters for the flames which are raging in America.”
Nicole Austin-Hillery, president and CEO, Congressional Black Caucus Basis, acquired the Beacon of Justice and Fairness whereas Sheila Johnson accepted the Trailblazer in Enterprise and Social Impression Award. Johnson is the entrepreneur and enterprise wizard, who hosted the occasion because the founder and CEO of the Salamander Assortment, which incorporates the Salamander Resort.
The Youth Award went to high-functioning autistic 21-year-old, Eric Blessed Carpenter-Grantham, from Montgomery County, Md.
He was acknowledged for the historic legislative achievement he not too long ago secured in Maryland with the passage of the invoice which bears his identify, “Eric’s ID Regulation.” The laws started as a dream he had of a more practical means for regulation enforcement to simply determine people like him with “invisible disabilities.” Now, Marylanders have the choice of including a small butterfly image to their driver’s licenses to indicate to officers mental disabilities resembling listening to impairment, psychological well being points and autism.
Maybe the phrases which moved the viewers essentially the most, even bringing some to tears, have been these uttered by Donna Brazile, veteran political strategist, who acquired the Legacy of Management in Civic Engagement Award.
“It’s exhausting to face right here with out getting emotional and interested by Coretta Scott King,” Brazile mentioned, including that it was Mrs. King who invited her to go to Atlanta and start her first job organizing a gaggle of younger volunteers at simply age 21.
“I used to be 8 when my grandmother referred to as me and my siblings into her room and informed us that Dr. King had been shot in Memphis,” she mentioned. “Grandma informed us to get on our knees and pray for him as a result of she believed, she hoped, that he would survive. Later, we acquired the information that he had died.
“We once more have been instructed to wish. This time for Dr. King’s household and for the person who shot him. I refused. However she mentioned that as Jesus declared, we should love our enemies. It was then that I knew the trail that I’d comply with in my life. I needed to work towards ending Dr. King’s work. I had no concept what that meant nor how I might contribute, however I used to be decided to search out out.”
