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June 26, 2006

Civil Rights Lawyer and Congressman Top List of Awardees

Fourteen honored for their contributions to expanding opportunities for minority students

WASHINGTON—Civil Rights Attorney Willie E. Gary and Representative Raul M. Grijalva will receive the NEA Martin Luther King Jr. and the Cesar Chavez Accion y Compromiso Human and Civil Rights Awards, respectively. The awards, part of the National Education Association Annual Human and Civil Rights Awards Dinner, will be handed out on Saturday July 1, 2006, in Orlando, Fla., during the NEA Annual Meeting. The awards program honors individuals who have expanded educational opportunities for minority students and educators and improved intergroup relations in the public schools.

The 14 awards to be presented during this year's dinner include the Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Award named for the Japanese American aerospace engineer and first Asian/Pacific Islander chosen by NASA for the astronaut program. The Leo Reano Memorial Award named for the teacher, artist and interpreter who served on the All Indian Pueblo Council and the NEA Council on Human Relations. He dedicated his life to securing educational opportunities for American Indian/Alaska Native children. The George I. Sánchez Memorial Award named for an educator, historian and author in the United States, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. He devoted 50 years of his life to the education of Mexican, Navajo and Black children and is known as the "father of the movement for quality education for Mexican Americans."  

Two of the awards, named for great Black educators, have been presented since the award programs introduction in 1966, the H. Councill Trenholm Memorial Award and the Carter G.Woodson Memorial Award. Harper Councill Trenholm served for 21 years as executive secretary of the American Teachers Association (ATA).  As one of the country's most outstanding Black educators, he helped build ATA's numbers and strength and worked for the merger of ATA and NEA.  Carter G.Woodson, a scholar and historian, founded the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, published books and journals about Black history, and initiated what is now Black History Month. He is known as the father of Black history. 

The remaining awards include: the Rosena J.Willis Memorial Award, the Mary Hatwood Futrell Award, the Virginia Uribe Award for Creative Leadership in Human Rights, the Applegate-Dorros Peace and International Understanding Award, the Author-Illustrator Human and Civil Rights Award and the SuAnne Big Crow Memorial Award. Recipients are nominated from local and state education associations and include educators, community leaders and politicians who have made a difference in their communities and the world. Past Human and Civil Rights Award recipients include: Former Atlanta Mayor Maynard H. Jackson and former California Speaker of the House Antonio Villaraigosa.

(Editors note: Photographs and bios of the award recipients will be available upon request following the ceremony on  July 1, 2006.)

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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.8 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.