NAACP Hosts Dinner Event Sunday Night
DETROIT (WWJ) - The Detroit Branch NAACP will host among the largest gathering of business, community, labor, grassroots, corporate, professional and social activists from within the State of Michigan.
The 56th Annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner, hosted by the Detroit Branch NAACP will take place Sunday at 5 p.m., is a billed as a networking experience for persons concerned about the future of their community of any event in Michigan.
The event brings together thousands of people from all across the State and even outside of Michigan.
The NAACP feels that this year will be particularly significant in that Detroit is on the comeback. The keynote speaker will be U.S. Congressman John Lewis.
But not everyone is as enthusiastic about this years dinner honorees. There are some protesters who are boycotting Sunday's Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner and are expected to gather outside of Cobo Center, upset over the decision to honor Kid Rock.
WWJ's Vickie Thomas spoke with NAACP President Rev. Wendell Anthony about this controversy Kid Rock's award by the NAACP is raising.
"You know...people have the right to say what they say, they have the right to protest, but I would think...I was always taught, that if you have an issue about anyone, come and talk to them about those issues. No one has ever spoken to me about the issue of Kid Rock, we looked at Kid Rock, we know who he is, he's a strong booster of this city, he wears Detroit from his head to his toe," says NAACP President Rev. Wendell Anthony.
This year's theme is "We've Changed the Guard, Now Let's Guard the Change."
Among the highlights of this event will be special awardees that we choose to honor because of their commitment, service and sacrifice to the people of Detroit and to the State of Michigan.
In honor of the heroism demonstrated by members of the Detroit Police Department, the NAACP will award the Mary White Ovington Freedom & Justice Award to members of the 6th precinct, including Sergeant Carrie Schultz, Sergeant Ray Saati, Officer David Anderson, and Commander Brian Davis, and all the men and women of the 6th precinct.
Local community activists, Detroit 300, will receive the 'Ida B. Wells Freedom & Justice Award'.
These men and women of Detroit 300 braved the weather, the darkness of night and the uncertainly of their efforts to help in bringing to justice a treacherous irresponsible individual who was preying upon the women in our community. They helped to bring to justice and to negate the rape and physical abuse of young and older women inside our community.
As well as musician Kid Rock, as a booster of Detroit, the NAACP says he wears the Big D from his head to his toe. Kid Rock will be given the 'Great Expectations Award for 2011'.
The Detroit Branch NAACP is the organizations largest branch.
It holds monthly meetings that are free and open to the public.
For more information please call (313) 871-2087 or visit their website.
