*Stevie Wonder will receive the inaugural Icon Award at the 34th National Equal Justice Awards dinner next week.
The event is set to take place on Tuesday, May 10, at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, Billboard reports. The music icon will be honored for “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,” according to a statement.
In addition, other honorees include Nikole Hannah-Jones, journalist, professor, and author of The 1619 Project, as well as Sherrilyn Ifill, LDF’s outgoing President and Director-Counsel. The evening will also include programming from former First Lady Michelle Obama and civil rights activist and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, per press release.
READ MORE: Stevie Wonder’s Son, Model Kailand Morris, Shares Latest Campaigns on Instagram
The theme for the evening is “Truth Is Power,” and will serve as an opportunity to celebrate the civil rights work that has been accomplished by LDF over the past year, per the release.
“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.”
About the Legal Defense Fund
Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multidisciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF.
