Previous Honorees

1993
Gregory Baranco Juanita Baranco Dr. Benjamin Carson Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole (Black Colleges) Comer Cottrell Isabell Cottrell Anita L. DeFrantz Suzanne dePasse Mayor Henry Espy (National Conference of Black Mayors) Bishop Barbara Harris Judge A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr. Evander Holyfield Dr. Benjamin Hooks (NAACP) Kevin Hooks John E. Jacob (National Urban League) Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. Mayor Maynard H. Jackson, Jr. Dr. Mae C. Jemison Robert L. Johnson Herb Jones Family James Earl Jones Quincy Jones Coretta Scott King Jennifer Lawson Rev. Joseph Lowery (SCLC) Justice Thurgood Marshall Robi Reed Rachel Robinson Herman J. Russell Dr. David Satcher Gwen Torrence Cynthia Tucker Governor Douglas Wilder Peter Wise Andrew Young

1994
Muhammad Ali Maya Angelou Mayor Tom Bradley Congressional Black Caucus Valerie Ferguson Dr. John Hope Franklin Nathaniel R. Goldston, III Jesse Hill, Jr.   Lena Horne Terry McMillan Gordon Parks Rosa Parks Carole Simpson   Wayman F. Smith Rev. Leon H. Sullivan Judge Elbert P. Tuttle (5th Circuit Court of Appeals) Carl Ware Nancy Wilson Judge John Minor Wisdom (5th Circuit Court of Appeals)

1995
Henry Aaron Black Advertising Agencies Dr. Roy C. Bell Thomas J. Burrell Diahann Carroll Vincent T. Cullers Dr. Albert M. Davis Marian Wright Edelman Dr. James B. Ellison Jack Greenberg, Esq. Robert E. Johnson Byron Lewis Jet Magazine Phylicia Rashad Randall Robinson Carl T. Rowan Dr. Otis W. Smith Billy Dee Williams   Willie L. Brown, Jr.

1996
Kathleen Battle Harry Belafonte Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. Virgis W. Colbert Nat “King” Cole Myrlie Evers-Williams Dr. Pedro Jose Greer Cathy Hughes Dr. LaSalle Leffall, Jr. Charley Pride Ronald Townsend Lenny Wilkens Eldrick “Tiger” Woods

1997
Willie E. Gary Louis Gossett, Jr. Anthony Mark Hankins Florence Griffith Joyner B.B. King Mayor Ron Kirk Gladys Knight Jonathan Kozol Hazel O’Leary Bernard Shaw Louis Sullivan, M.D. Edward T. Lewis Clarence O. Smith Susan Taylor Essence Magazine

1998
Jacquelyn Barrett Lerone Bennett, Jr. Larry Doby Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds Beverly Harvard Margie Lewis Reginald Lewis Don Newcombe General Colin Powell Whitney Houston Wynton Marsalis Eugene Lang Mrs. Sonya Carson Father George ClementsRev. & Mrs. Jesse Jackson, Sr. Mrs. Deloris Jordan Mr. & Mrs. Earl Woods

 1999
Matel Dawson, Jr. Bryant Gumbel Eunice Johnson Jessye Norman Smokey Robinson Dr. Dorothy Height Congressman John Lewis Frank Sinatra Jackie Joyner Kersee John “Buck” O’Neil Eddie Robinson

2000
Shirley Caesar Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. Judge Damon J.  Keith Patti LaBelle Lou Rawls Marlon St. Julien Captain Patrice Clarke Washington Tracey Edmonds   Ann Fudge  Earl G. Graves Debra L. Lee George R. Lewis Richard Parsons Linda Johnson Rice Lloyd Ward

2001
Ray Charles Clive Davis Geoffrey Holder Carmen de Lavallade Willie Mays Jacqueline L. Mims Leslie Uggams Senator Edward W. Brooke Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm Congressman John Conyers, Jr. Governor Charles W. Turnbull Lieutenant Governor Joe Rogers Mayor Maynard H. Jackson, Jr. Justice Thurgood Marshall Florida A & M University

2002
Sidney Poitier Ted Turner Andrew Young Cicely Tyson Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. Tom Joyner John H. Johnson Senator Carol Moseley Braun Rev. Johnnie Colemon Congresswoman Yvonne Braithwaite Burke Sylvia Flanagan Dr. Audrey Forbes Manley Dr. Vivian Pinn Ernesta Procope Dr. Condoleezza Rice Congresswoman Maxine Waters Meharry Medical College

2003
The Honorable Perry Gladstone Christie Ossie Davis Ruby Dee Destiny’s Child Thomas W. Dortch, Jr. Julius “Dr. J” Erving Pam Grier Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. Spike Lee Mark Whitaker Lieutenant Colonel Marilyn Wills Cheyenne Woods

2004
Jordan Adams Don Barden Angela Bassett Isaac Hayes Norman Lear President Nelson Mandela Dr. Anthony Pollard Della Reese Sylvia Rhone Russell Simmons Dr. C. Delores Tucker  Judge Horace T. Ward

2005
Honorable Dennis W. Archer Joe Louis Dudley, Sr. Mayor Shirley Franklin Dick Gregory Beyoncé Knowles Serena Williams Venus Williams Nancy Wilson Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. Bishop T.D. Jakes Bishop Eddie L. Long Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie Father Theodore M. Hesburgh President Lyndon B. Johnson Honorable Michael Misick Donald Young, Jr.

2006
Dr. Keith L. Black Lorenzo D. Creighton Vivica A. Fox Dr. Bobby Jones Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears Usher Rev. C.T. Vivian Archbishop Desmond Tutu Stevie Wonder Danny J. Bakewell, Sr.

2007
Toni Braxton Nancy G. Brinker John Carlos  Dr. Denzil L. Douglas Orok Duke  Ed Dwight  Clint Eastwood  Hill Harper Quincy Jones Michael Jordan J. Terrence Lanni Donnie McClurkin Justice Alan C. Page Tommie Smith Percy E. Sutton Dionne Warwick  Cece Winans

2008
Halle Berry Chris "Ludacris" Bridges Shareef Abdur-Rahim Dr. T.B. Boyd III The Honorable Paul L. Brady Danny Glover Sheila C. Johnson Brian O. Jordan Dr. Vincent Moss Dr. Vance Moss Najee Don Thompson