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Associated Black Charities Presents 2003 Black History Makers Awards

The New Voice of New York Inc.
February 20 -26, 2003

By Sylvia Hairston

Last Wednesday, The Associated Black Charities organization held its annual achievement awards event in the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Every year the organization honors Black History Month, holding the event during this time. The theme for this year's dinner was " New Visions for Youth."

The organization, whose mission is to promote the quality of health and human service to New York's African-American community, was founded 21 years ago and is a federation of 24 community based health and human service agencies providing day care, senior care, and foster care.

It also promotes medical, mental health, substance abuse prevention and rehabilitation and care for abused women and children.

The organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors of deep commitment and managed by a full-time staff. The primary purpose and task of Associated Black Charities is to raise funds which are distributed to the aforementioned agencies.

At this event persons of outstanding achievement were awarded. The Black History Makers Awards were presented to Catherine L. Hughes and Johnnie L. Cochran Jr.. The William H. (Bill) and Camille O. Cosby philanthropic Award to recognize philanthropic participation by a chosen participant who exemplifies the Cosby's philosophy of service in the improvement of health, education and human services was presented to Willie E. Gary.

Catherine L. Hughes, founder and chair of Radio One, the largest African American operated broadcast company and the seventh largest in the U.S. has received numerous awards for her achievements in business and community service.

Johnnie L. Cochran , Jr. has also established himself as an attorney where he has been inducted in the American College of Trial Lawyers, and was honored by the Los Angeles Criminal Courts Bar Association as the " Criminal Trial Lawyer" of the year in 1977. He has been selected as one of the best Lawyers in America.

He established the Johnnie L. Cochran Scholarship at UCLA for African American men, the Johnnie L. Cochran Center for Early learning at the 2nd Baptist church in Los Angeles, and the Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Art Fund to support African American Visual Art.

The Black History Makers Awards event was chaired by Sylvia Rhone, Chair and CEO of Electra-Warren Music Entertainment Group; and Ken Kaess, President/CEO of DDB Worldwide Communications was dinner chair. Ed Bradley of CBS 60 Minutes was Master of Ceremonies.

Photo Top: Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr., Esq ( far right) receives The Thurgood Marshall Award, Presented by Elaine R. Jones, Esq. Others in Photo ( From left) Ed Bradley and Rayton Gerald, president of Associated Black Charities.

Photo 2: Willie E. Gary( right) receives The William H. (Bill) Cosby Award and Camille O. Cosby Philanthropic Award presented by Daniel Black.
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Photo 3: Catherine L. Hughes (right) receiving the Jesse B. Blayton, Sr. Award, presented by Antonio Reid.