Nominations Sought for 2022 N.C. A&T Human Rights Medal

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Nov. 12, 2021) – Nominations for the 2022 Human Rights Medal awarded by North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University are being accepted through Monday, Dec. 6.

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 achievements or contributions, diplomatic endeavors and community philanthropy.

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 Feb. 1, 1960, at a whites-only lunch counter at Woolworth department store. The sit-in resulted in similar protests across the state as well as the country.

Past medal recipients include last year’s honoree N.C. Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls; the late civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis; activists and community leaders the Rev. Nelson and Joyce Johnson; and Congresswoman Alma Adams ’68 ’72.

Nominees for the Human Rights Medal are not limited to the university community, may be local, state, national or international, and 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 invited to accept the award at the annual Sit-In Breakfast program, which is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022. The recipient must be able to accept the award in person on campus and agree upon other predetermined stipulations.

To access the nomination packet, go to http://www.library.ncat.edu/hrm. Those with questions or comments should contact Vicki Coleman, dean of Library Services and chair of the University Awards and Convocation Planning Committee, at vcoleman@ncat.edu or 336-285-4151.