NAACP Image Awards | Thursday February 12, 2009
Did You Know?
- 1909
On February 12th, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded by a multiracial group of activists, who answered "The Call," in New York, New York. They initially called themselves the National Negro Committee. - 1913
In April, Dr. Joel E. Spingarn instituted the Spingarn Medal, a gold medal that was to be awarded annually to an American Negro of ŗhighest achievement˛ for the proceeding year or years. - 1939
On April 9th, after the Daughters of the American Revolution barred Marian Anderson from performing at their Constitutional Hall in Washington DC, the NAACP successfully moved to have her appear at the Lincoln Memorial that Easter Sunday where more than seventy five thousand people attended the open air concert broadcast nationally by radio. - 1942
The Association worked with studio executives and politicians to establish an ad hoc committee with the major film studios to monitor the image and portrayal of African Americans on the silver screen. - 1960
Senator John F. Kennedy addressed an audience of seven thousand at the NAACP Civil Rights Rally at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, just four days before he secured the Democratic Presidential Nomination. - 1975
On August 6, President Ford signed H.R. 6219, amending and extending certain provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, culminating a two-year effort by the Washington Bureau and cooperating organizations. The 1974 Act extended protection of the right to register and vote to non-English speaking groups, especially Hispanics. - 1987
On the 25th anniversary of the use of federal troops to enforce integration of the Little Rockšs Central High, the NAACP reunited the Little Rock Nine and NAACP leader Daisy Bates at ceremonies at the Arkansas Capital. - 1991
Following the victory in the Republican gubernatorial primary by former Klansman and neo-Nazi David Duke, the NAACP Louisiana State Conference launched a voter registration and Get-Out-The-Vote campaign resulting in Dukešs defeat. - 2006
As part of our on-going efforts to the diversity of emerging talent in Hollywood, the NAACP united with several networks to create Master Degree Writing Fellowships. - 2009
On February 12th, the 40th NAACP Image Awards aired live celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the NAACP to the day.
Vanguard Award Recipient
Russell Simmons
USA Today named Russell Simmons one of the “Top 25 Most Influential People of the Past 25 Years,” calling him a “hip-hop pioneer” for his groundbreaking vision that has influenced music, fashion, finance, television and film, as well as the face of modern philanthropy. Simmons has been instrumental in bringing the powerful influence of hip-hop culture to every facet of business and media since its inception. His groundbreaking vision was crystallized with partner Rick Rubin in the creation of the seminal Def Jam Recordings in 1984, launching the cultural revolution known as hip-hop. He has been credited as the most influential mogul in the genre, producing and/or managing such early hip-hop artists as Kurtis Blow, Run-DMC, and the Beastie Boys to signing superstars like Jay-Z , Foxy Brown and Ludacris.
Simmons also helped bring hip-hop culture to the mainstream with such groundbreaking ventures as Phat Farm, “The Def Comedy Jam,” “Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry,” “The Nutty Professor,” the Tony Award-winning stage production “Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry Jam on Broadway” and the international hit on MTV, “Run’s House.” He has continued to serve the hip-hop generation through such ventures as the Argyle Culture clothing collection, the RushCard, Run Athletics, Simmons Jewelry Co. and the hip-hop community destination website, Global Grind.
Along with his siblings Danny Simmons and Joseph "Rev Run" Simmons, he founded Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation in 1995. The organization is dedicated to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant exposure and access to the arts. It also offers exhibition opportunities to underrepresented artists and artists of color.
In 2001, Russell co-founded the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) with Dr. Benjamin Chavis. And in 2007, Simmons co-founded and serves as chairman of the Diamond Empowerment Fund (D.E.F.), whose mission it is to raise money to support education initiatives that develop and empower economically disadvantaged people in African nations where diamonds are a natural resource. Simmons and D.E.F. have helped raise close to $10 million for the cause.
Currently, Russell also serves at chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening relations between ethnic communities. Simmons is the author of the 2008 New York Times Top 5 bestseller Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success.
