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Nominations Being Accepted for 2020 Human Rights Medal

By Tonya Dixon / 11/11/2019

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Nov. 11, 2019) – Nominations for the 2020 Human Rights Medal awarded by North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University are being accepted through Nov. 30, 2019. 

The award is presented to an individual who has had a positive impact on correcting social injustices and other humanitarian activities such as human welfare and social reform, acts of heroism, promotion of fellowship, dedication to technological discovery, academic advancements or contributions, diplomatic endeavors and community contributions.

The medal is awarded in honor of the extraordinary action against social injustice by the A&T Four – Ezell Blair Jr. (Jibreel Khazan), Franklin Eugene McCain, Joseph Alfred McNeil and David Richmond Jr. The four freshmen initiated a “sit-in” on Feb. 1, 1960, at a whites-only lunch counter at Woolworth’s department store. The sit-in resulted in similar protests across the state as well as the country. 

Past medal recipients include civil rights leader and U.S. Representative John Lewis; activists and community leaders Rev. Nelson and Joyce Johnson; and civil rights activist Lewis Brandon III.

Nominations or medal recipients are not limited to the university community. Nominees for the Human Rights Medal will be evaluated according to the scope of their contribution within the community.

The winner will be selected by the University Awards committee, notified in December and will be invited to accept the award at the Annual Sit-In Breakfast, Jan. 31, 2020. The recipient must be able to accept the award in person and agree upon other predetermined stipulations.

Additional information regarding eligibility and nomination forms are available online. Questions and comments may be addressed to Vicki Coleman, dean of Library Services and chairwoman of the University Awards and Convocation Planning Committee at vcoleman@ncat.edu.
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