Morehouse College - 35th Annual "A Candle in the Dark" Gala Program

the 156th Anniversary of the Founding of Morehouse College &

Leading us to a brighter future

We deliver the resilient energy solutions that connect communities, businesses and future generations to opportunity.

Our leadership is instrumental in helping us achieve our long-term objectives, including advancing equity within our company and the communities we serve.

Congratulations to Morehouse College’s A Candle in the Dark Gala honorees, including our Lead Independent Director, David Grain. Thank you for your commitment to propelling the leaders of tomorrow forward.

We salute those who use their energy to serve!

David Grain Lead Independent Director Board of Directors, Southern Company

35th annual

“A CANDLE IN THE DARK”

CELEBRATING THE 156TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF MOREHOUSE COLLEGE & THE 2023 BENNIE AND CANDLE

AWARD HONOREES

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2023

7:30 p.m.

FOUNDERS & PRESIDENTS

FOUNDER

William Jefferson White

ASSOCIATE FOUNDERS

Richard C. Coulter & Edmund Turney

PRESIDENTS OF MOREHOUSE COLLEGE

HELD THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT WITH THE TITLE “ACTING” OR “INTERIM”

1884–1885

John Hope 1906

Charles D. Hubert

1937–1940

Wiley A. Perdue

1994–1995

Willis B. Sheftall

2013

William James Taggart 2017

Michael E.

2017

Harold

2017

Joseph T. RobeRT 1871–1884

hugh m. glosTeR ’31 1967–1987

benJamin e. mays 1940–1967

David Foster Estes

’09

’57

Jr. ’64

Hodge

L. Martin Jr. ’02

samuel gRaves 1885–1890

leRoy KeiTh JR. ’61 1987–1994

geoRge sale 1890–1906

WalTeR e. massey ’58 1995–2007

John hope 1906–1931

RobeRT m. FRanKlin ’75 2007–2012

samuel h. aRcheR 1931–1937

John silvanus Wilson JR. ’79 2013–2017

DaviD a. Thomas 2018–

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

MOREHOUSE COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

A. Scott Bolden ’84 (Secretary)

Partner Reed Smith LLP

Jeffrey Brenzel

Higher Ed Consultant, Writer, and Speaker Yale University

James “Jim” Casselberry Jr.

Chief Investment Officer 4S Bay Partners LLC

Allen M. Chan

President and CEO

Robertson Scholars Leadership Program

Delman L. Coates ’95

Senior Pastor Mt. Ennon Baptist Church

Christopher B. Cowan ’87 Managing Director Overseas Private Investment Corp.

Javarro Edwards ’92 President JME Group LLC

Alan H. Fleischmann

Founder, President, and CEO Laurel Strategies Inc.

Eddie S. Glaude Jr. ’89

Professor and Department Chair

Department of African American Studies Princeton University

Valerie S. Grant Managing Director Nuveen

Doug Hertz President & CEO United Distributors Inc.

Frederick S. Humphries Jr. ’83 Vice President,U.S. Government Affairs Microsoft Corp.

College Administrator/Ex-Officio Trustee

David A. Thomas

President

Morehouse College

Faculty Trustees

Melvin Foster

Associate Provost for Student Success and Associate Professor of Voice

Student Trustees

Mark Nichols ’23

91st President SGA

Chairmen Emeriti

Robert C. Davidson Jr. ’67

Trustees Emeriti

Billye S. Aaron

Benjamin A. Blackburn II ’61

Robert Davidson Jr. ’67

Samuel R. Johnson ’88

Americas Vice Chair, Market & Accounts Ernst & Young

Jennifer Mann

Senior Vice President and President of North America

The Coca-Cola Company

Harold Martin Jr. ’02 CEO

Taco Mac Restaurant Group

John O’Neill

President, Central Region Cushman & Wakefield

Verdun S. Perry ’94

Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Strategic Partners

Blackstone

Ruth Simmons

President Emerita Prairie View A&M University

Richard Thaler Jr. (Treasurer)

Managing Partner Lieutenant Island Partners LLC

John L. Thornton (Vice Chairman)

Executive Chairman Barrick Gold Corp.

F. Euclid Walker ’94 Managing Partner Parkway Investment Management LLC

Stanley Washington ’85

Founder and CEO

Pantheon Business Consulting

R. Owens Williams President Emerita

Associated Colleges of the South & Transylvania University

Willie E. Woods ’85 (Chairman) President and Managing Partner ICV Partners

Duane M. Jackson ’74 Professor of Psychology

Ulrica Wilson Associate Professor of Mathematics

Kamar Montgomery ’24 Senior Board of Trustees Representative SGA

Malcolm Tucker ’23 Junior Board of Trustees Representative SGA

James L. Hudson ’61

Otis Moss Jr. ’56

Dale E. Jones ’82

Robert Levin

C. David Moody Jr. ’78

James L. Hudson ’61

Jim Moss ’70

Avery A. Munnings ’86

John A. Wallace

Dorothy Cowser Yancy

Andrew Jackson Young Jr.

Delta Air Lines

2023 GALA SPONSORS

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Southern Company

LEGACY SPONSOR

Chick-fil-A

VIP PLATINUM SPONSORS

JME Group LLC

PLATINUM SPONSORS

JPMorgan Chase

Bank of America

The Coca-Cola Company

GOLD SPONSOR

Georgia-Pacific

SILVER SPONSORS

Apollo Global Management

Aramark

AT&T Barclays

The Aaron’s Company

AltFinance

Ariel Investments

Yolanda and Dale E. Jones ’82

Fordjour Studio

ICV Partners

Microsoft

PRM Consulting Group

BRONZE SPONSORS

BMO

BMW of North America

Genuine Parts Company

CORPORATE SPONSORS

Morgan Stanley

FanDuel

Bridgewater Chocolates

Branwar Wines

Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Ten Figures

GALA TRIBUTE SPONSORS

Fiducient Advisors

Follett Corporation

Mathes Event Productions

UPS

Reed Smith

Salesforce

Standard Office Systems

IHG Resorts and Hotels

The Toro Company

Walmart

Lt. Island Partners LLC

Men’s Wearhouse

R.H. Bolton Inc.

Hyatt Regency Atlanta

Billye Suber Aaron

Sanford L. Biggers ’92

Robert H. Bolton ’86

Moses Brown ’75

Winston Burns ’82

Gregory Burrell ’90

Brian Byrd ’86

Rupert Byrdsong ’91

W. Byron Calhoun ’90

Charles Carithers ’05

Kevin Carpenter ’96

Jim Casselberry

Lee Cheese ’85

Patricia C. Duncan

Clarence Clark ’90

William L. Clay

Delman Coates ’95

Vincent Daniels ’87

Reginald Davis ’84

Jonathon Davis ’13

Wiley Davis ’82

David Dent ’81

Jerry Dickerson ’16

Delmont Early ’00

Roderick Edmond ’83

Charles Elliott ’91

Rhom Erskine ’99

Kathlika Fontes

Robert M. Franklin ’75

George French

2023 GALA PATRONS

John Gilmore ’06

Tiffany Graham

Valerie Grant

Valerie Graves

Gordon Greenwood ’85

Jeffrey Haggray

Calvin Harris Jr. ’92

Emerson Harrison ’82

Lindsay Hopkins

Follett Morehouse College Bookstore

Calvin Johnson ’88

Andre Kearns ’94

Brian King ’80

Jeffrey Lawrence ’89

Michael Lawson Jr. ’05

Michael Lindsay ’75

Milton J. Little ’76

Sharon & Audley Mackel III ’77

Richard Makerson ’03

Jennifer Mann

Eric Marshall ’94

Wayne Martin ’06

Marcus Mayo ’06

Charles D. Moody ’78

Morehouse School of Medicine

Edwin Moses ’78

Avery Munnings ’86

Kevin Parker ’99

Errol & Yvonne Parker Sr.

Spelman College

Bryan Rand ’01

Dewayne Reed ’84

William Reeder ’75

Valarie Montgomery Rice

Rufus Rivers ’86

Charlie Rouse ’84

Monica Rowe

Robert Rumley ’98

Ihsan Saleem ’00

Thomas Sampson ’68

George Sanders ’65

David Satcher ’63

Timothy Sloan ’94

Danesha Smith

Denise & Wesley Smith ’79

Eric Tait ’98

Faith & Gary Taylor ’81

Hillary Thomas

President David Thomas Family

Darryl Tookes ’82

F. Euclid Walker ’94

George Walker ’91

George Wells ’00

R. Owens Williams

John Williams ’87

Damien Wilson ’99

Terry Woodard ’81

Kevin Woods ’99

Keith Wright ’87

Robert Yancy ’64

TAMMY TOWNSEND

ammy Townsend, a veteran performer with remarkable versatility and range, has acting and musical talents that have been showcased in a variety of notable projects during her career.

The accomplished actress, singer, and dancer has been performing for audiences since the age of 9. She landed her first TV role at 14, with a guest spot on “Diff’rent Strokes,” starring Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges. She soon found work on other series such as “In the Heat of the Night” and “Quantum Leap.”

Actress, “Queen Sugar” and the upcoming BET+ series “Average Joe”

Mistress of Ceremonies

Townsend displayed her comedic skills, as well as her singing talent, with a prominent role on the comedy series “Sherri,” opposite Sherri Shepherd. She then starred on TV movies, including “The Mistle-Tones,” “To Love and to Cherish,” and “Home of the Brave.”

Townsend had a regular role on the final season of the OWN series “Queen Sugar,” the acclaimed drama from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay and executive producer Oprah Winfrey. Townsend also served as a co-producer on the show “Stuck With You”— a series that was Emmy-nominated in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Daytime Fiction Program.

Townsend starred as tough but loveable mom and veteran spy Kira Cooper in Disney Channel’s live-action spy comedy series “K.C. Undercover,” and recently gueststarred on the Disney+ series, “Big Shot,” with John Stamos. She is currently filming a lead role in BET+’s dark comedy series “Average Joe.”

Townsend made her feature film debut in the cult classic “The Five Heartbeats.” Her other film credits include “Preacher’s Kid,” “Playing Mona Lisa,” “The Pest” with John Leguizamo, “The Brady Bunch Movie,” and “Simone,” starring Al Pacino and Evan Rachel Wood.

As a vocalist, Townsend has worked with many of the music industry’s most celebrated singers/musicians, including Branford Marsalis, R&B singer/songwriter Tank, Gerald Albright, Norman Connors, and guitarist Kevin Eubanks, formerly of “The Tonight Show.” She performed the single “One Kiss” from “Preacher’s Kid” and has toured with singer/songwriter Eric Benét.

Townsend is an outdoor enthusiast who loves hiking, 4-wheel driving, snowboarding, and other outside adventures. When she’s not working or spending time outdoors, she enjoys documentaries and indulging in a passion for travel, which recently included a trip to Croatia.

35th Annual “A CANDLE IN THE DARK”

Call to Celebration & Introduction of Mistress of Ceremonies

Tammy Townsend

Actress, “Queen Sugar” and the upcoming BET+ series “Average Joe” Mistress of Ceremonies

Greetings

Willie E. Woods ’85 Chairman, Morehouse College Board of Trustees

David A. Thomas, Ph.D. President, Morehouse College

Presenting Sponsor Remarks

Chris Womack President & CEO, Southern Company

Invocation

Timothy W. Sloan ’94, D. Min. Founder & Senior Pastor, The Luke Church

Dinner

Music provided by the Morehouse College Jazz Ensemble

Student Testimony and Appeal

Divine Linus ’23

The Bennie Awards

bennie trailblazer

Sanford L. Biggers ’92

bennie leadership and service

James W. Compton ’61

The Candle Awards

candle for lifetime achievement in arts and entertainment

Courtney B. Vance

Closing Remarks

President Thomas

bennie achievement

Terry L.Woodard ’81

candle in entrepreneurship and philanthropy

David J. Grain

The College Hymn

“Dear Old Morehouse” – J.O.B. Moseley ’29

HELPING BRIGHT FUTURES

TAKE OFF.

Proud to support the Morehouse College “A Candle in the Dark” Gala.

2023 HONOREES THE BENNIE AWARD

The Bennie Award, one of the highest honors that Morehouse bestows on its alumni, is named for one of the College’s most revered Presidents, Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, who served from 1940 to 1967.

His legacy lives on in the College’s international stature and in the success of its alumni.

2023 Bennie Award

SANFORD L. BIGGERS ’92

Acclaimed Visual Artist and Sculptor

Sanford L. Biggers ’92 is a New York City-based interdisciplinary artist who works in film/video, installation, sculpture, music, and performance. A Los Angeles native, Biggers received his bachelor of arts degree from Morehouse and went on to earn an MFA from the interdisciplinary School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) in 1999.

At SAIC, Biggers had the opportunity to collaborate with others and work in media such as film, video, and sculpture. He continued to be influenced by African American history and became dedicated to shining a light on the stories not taught in school. The artist’s work, in fact, has been described as an interplay of narrative, perspective, and history that speaks to current social, political, and economic happenings.

Biggers has worked with antique quilts, for example, that echo rumors of their use as Underground Railroad signposts. His Bronx Museum exhibit in 2020 brought together quilt-based works layering painting, collage, and sculpture onto antique quilts—engaging the tradition of African American quilt-making with contemporary culture and symbolism.

Following his residency as an American Academy Fellow in Rome, Biggers also began working in marble. His “Chimera” exhibit features forms that juxtapose classical and historical references to create alternative

meanings. (Western-style figures, generally rendered in marble or bronze, for example, have faces obscured by African masks.)

Biggers has work in numerous permanent collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art—all in New York City— and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and the Dallas Museum of Art.

In addition to his art career, Biggers leads the experimental concept band Moon Medicin, whose multimedia performances incorporate costumes, photo and video installations, political satire, and surrealist funk.

Biggers has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognition. He was appointed the 2021-2022 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Visiting Professor and Scholar in the MIT Department of Architecture, and in February 2021 received the Savannah College of Art & Design’s deFINE Art Award. In 2020, Biggers was awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship and appointed board president at SculptureCenter. He has been inducted into the New York Foundation for the Arts Hall of Fame, and received both the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award and the Rome Prize in Visual Arts.

There is an air of expectancy at Morehouse. It is expected that once a man bears the insignia of a Morehouse Man, he will do exceptionally well. We expect nothing less.

— Benjamin E. Mays, the 6th President of Morehouse College

2023 Bennie Award

LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

JAMES W. COMPTON ’61

Civic Leader and Former President, Chicago Urban League

James Washington Compton ’61 is an American businessman and civil rights activist who served as president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League from 1978 until 2006. During his tenure, the organization refocused its interest in education and economic development and developed a new emphasis on community empowerment.

Born in Aurora, Illinois, Compton grew up in Chicago. He studied political science at Morehouse College and while there received the Charles E. Merrill Jr. Endowed Scholarship, which enabled him to study at the University of Grenoble in France. He also participated as a student representative of the United States in the U.S.–Soviet Union Cultural Exchange Program.

At Morehouse, Compton worked with legendary educator and Morehouse President Benjamin Mays. He was also active in the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta and brought that interest with him to Chicago. Compton worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, for example, in 1966 when King moved to Chicago to initiate his campaign to end discrimination in housing, employment, and schools in the North.

Before returning to Chicago, Compton served as founding executive director of the Broome County Urban League in Binghamton, New York. He was with the National Urban League and the Chicago Urban League in various capacities until he was named president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League in 1978. Along with putting the agency on a firm financial base, Compton is credited with changing the organization from primarily a social service organization to a research organization advocating for public policy and ensuring that the League had a voice on issues affecting the urban poor and the African American community.

Compton has received numerous forms of recognition and awards for his work, including the Fred Luster Sr. Image Award, Edwin C. Berry Civil Rights Award, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award. He has also been honored with an award for his Lifetime Commitment to Social and Economic Justice.

Compton has served as a member of several corporate and charitable boards of directors, including those at ComEd, DePaul University, Ariel Investments, the ETA Creative Arts Foundation, Big Shoulders Fund, Morehouse Research Institute, and the Seaway Bank and Trust Company. He has also served as board president of the Chicago Public Library and interim president of the Chicago Board of Education.

Compton has worked with the Rainbow Push Coalition, is a lifetime member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and the Morehouse College Alumni Association, and has the distinction of being a life trustee of the Field Museum of Natural History.

It is not your environment, it is you— the quality of your minds, the integrity of your souls, and the determination of your wills—that will decide your future and shape your lives.”

— Benjamin E. Mays

2023 Bennie Award

TERRY L.WOODARD ’81

Managing Director and Vice Chairman, Financial Sponsors Group, Private Bank, J.P. Morgan

Terry Woodard ’81 joined JPMorgan Chase after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in finance from Morehouse College in 1981.

Woodard began his career with the Chase Manhattan Bank. He attended the Chase Credit Training Program and then held positions in general auditing, risk management, credit underwriting, and client management. After more than 40 years of service, Woodard is currently a managing director and vice chairman of the J.P. Morgan Private Bank’s Financial Sponsors Group, as well as a member of the Morgan Circle—the top 5 percent of advisors in the Private Bank.

Today, Woodard and his team of financial and service specialists are responsible for handling the day-to-day banking, investment, tax, and financial planning needs of individuals and non-profit organizations.

Beyond his considerable business success, Woodard’s leadership in diversity and inclusion has had a major impact. He is the global co-chair of BOLD (Black Organization for Leadership and Development), cofounder and former co-chair of the Asset Management Black Leadership Forum, and a member of the Executive Leadership Council, a distinguished membership

organization promoting the development of global Black leaders. In addition, Woodard is the JPMorgan Chase Ambassador to Morehouse College and formerly captained the Morehouse Recruiting Team.

Terry is also: a board member of the United Negro College Fund; chairman of the board of Jazz House Kids, an organization dedicated to educating children through jazz; chairman of the board of the Sphinx Organization, a social justice group working to transform lives through the power of diversity in the arts; a member of the Friends of MoMA; and a former board member of the Girls Scouts in Essex, Hudson, and Union counties in New Jersey.

Woodard has been honored by the National Association of Black Accountants of New York. He is also the recipient of the Harlem YMCA Black Achievers in Industry Award, The Dreamer Award from the Morehouse Manhattan Alumni Chapter, and the Alumnus of the Year Award from the Morehouse College National Alumni Association. He was also recognized as a Crain’s New York 2022 Notable Diverse Leader in Banking and Finance.

Whatever you do, strive to do it so well that no man living and no man dead, and no man yet to be born can do it any better. ”

— Benjamin E. Mays

We proudly support Morehouse College and our honoree

Vice Chair Terry Woodard, at the 35th Annual “A Candle in the Dark” Gala.

As the world recognizes the need for socially responsible leaders, Morehouse College is poised with a pipeline of exceptional Men of Consequence who are prepared to do what Morehouse Men have done for more than a century—lead, serve, and work on the frontlines of change. We are working toward a future in which our endowment will allow the financial flexibility to support all deserving scholars, and the scholarships we offer students will be need blind. Your philanthropic investment will help ensure that Morehouse continues to produce enterprising, accomplished men who change the narrative, change the system, change each other, and change the world.

MOREHOUSE HAS LAUNCHED THE HISTORIC $500 MILLION MAKING MEN OF CONSEQUENCE CAMPAIGN TO FUND EXPANSIONS IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

ƒ Student scholarships and support services

ƒ Faculty research and professorships

ƒ Innovative academic programs and access to global learning experiences

MAKE A GIFT TODAY.

Text ‘Morehouse’ to 31996

Or visit giving.morehouse.edu

ƒ Technology infrastructure upgrades and renovation projects on the College’s historic, 66-acre campus For more information, please contact:

2023 HONOREES THE CANDLE AWARD

For 156 years, Morehouse College has been a beacon of light and a source of knowledge to the global community.

The Candle Award recognizes outstanding non-alumni who are exemplary in their professions and are committed to excellence, community service, and leadership—the values taught at Morehouse College.

2023 Candle Award

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND PHILANTHROPY

DAVID J. GRAIN

Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Grain Management

David J. Grain is chief executive officer of the sector-focused private equity firm he founded, Grain Management LLC.

Established in 2007 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., Grain Management is a solutions provider to the global broadband industry. The firm serves some of the nation’s largest institutional investors and has consistently generated top quartile returns through a data-driven investment process and innovative financial structures that have transformed the communications industry.

Before founding the firm, Grain led Pinnacle Towers (later renamed Global Signal) from bankruptcy to being a successful IPO, transforming it into one of the largest independent wireless communication tower companies in the world. Prior to Global Signal, Grain served as senior vice president of AT&T Broadband’s New England Region and was an executive director in the High Yield Finance Department at Morgan Stanley.

In 2012, Grain was appointed to the board of directors of Southern Company, where he serves as lead independent director on the board of directors. He is also an independent director for Dell Technologies, director of New Fortress Energy, and a trustee of the Brookings Institution. In addition, Grain is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member

of Business Executives for National Security, and a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations. While he was in New England, the treasurer of Massachusetts named Grain to the state’s Pension Reserves Investment Management Board, overseeing the state’s employee pension fund; he subsequently chaired the Investment Committee. Grain received a Presidential Appointment to the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, where he chaired the Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience National R&D Plan. And in September 2009, Florida Gov. Charles Crist appointed Grain to the State Board of Administration’s Investment Advisory Council, where he served as chairman.

Numerous organizations have been the beneficiaries of Grain’s philanthropy, particularly in the areas of education, social justice, and the arts. He is a member of the advisory council of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, a member of the board of Martha’s Vineyard Museum, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

David Grain earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of the Holy Cross, where he served for eight years as a trustee. He holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, where he serves on the Board of Advisors.

Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”

— Oprah Winfrey, 2004 Gala Honoree

2023 Candle Award

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

COURTNEY B. VANCE

Award-Winning Actor and Producer

Courtney B. Vance has carefully cultivated an extraordinary career that showcases his passion, talent, and intellect. Known for successfully finding the dignity and honor in each character he explores, this Harvard scholar and Yale School of Drama-trained actor is a powerful presence from the theatrical boards to the silver screen.

Vance’s stunning portrayal of Johnnie Cochran in FX’s “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” earned him Emmy, Critics Choice, and NAACP Image awards, as well as nominations for Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe honors. His role as the beloved and pivotal character “Uncle George” in HBO’s critically acclaimed drama horror series, “Lovecraft Country,” earned Vance an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, his second career Emmy win, as well as a Hollywood Critics Association nomination and a Black Reel TV Award.

He also starred in National Geographic’s “Genius: Aretha” in which he portrayed Aretha Franklin’s father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin. Vance was recognized with the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a TV Movie/Miniseries/Dramatic Special, with nominations from the Hollywood Critics Association, Critics Choice Awards, and Black Reel TV Awards.

His most recent project, AMC Network’s “61st Street,” is a criminal justice drama executive- produced by Michael B. Jordan and Alana Mayo of Outlier Society, from BAFTA-winner Peter Moffat. The project earned Vance an AAFCA TV Honors award. He also recently starred in the feature film “Heist 88,” from Bassett Vance Productions, the production company he cofounded with his wife, Angela Bassett.

Vance’s other recent films include the Universal/Will Packer romantic drama, “The Photograph,” with Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield, directed by Stella Meghie,

as well as Netflix Originals’ “Uncorked,” with Niecy Nash and Mamoudou Athie.

His debut as Spc. Abraham “Doc” Johnson in “Hamburger Hill” launched a prolific cinematic career that includes historically noteworthy films, such as “The Hunt for Red October,” “The Preacher’s Wife,” “The Adventures of Huck Finn,” and “Terminator Genisys.”

On the stage, Vance received Tony Award nominations for his debut performance in August Wilson’s “Fences” and his starring role in “Six Degrees of Separation.”

He won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his stellar performance in Nora Ephron’s “Lucky Guy.” Additionally, Vance earned a Grammy nomination for his narration of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s book “Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military.”

Notably, Vance is president of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. Vance continues to: build on the foundation’s legacy of providing educational resources for people who are pursuing all forms of the performing arts; promoting the children’s literacy program as an avenue to empower youth through storytelling; and leading the foundation’s Entertainment Industry Council, designed to support artists throughout their careers.

Bassett Vance Productions is in partnership with Paramount as part of an initiative to give more people of color and women an opportunity to direct madefor-television movies for its Entertainment and Youth Group. The production company’s first project, “One Thousand Years of Slavery,” aired in February 2022 on the Smithsonian Channel.

Vance is the recipient of an Excellence in Entertainment Honor from Bounce Trumpet Awards and is also a proud ambassador for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

2023 GALA PRESENTERS, JAZZ ENSEMBLE & USHERS

GALA PRESENTERS

GALA OPENING

Douglas Burnett ’23

Political Science & Pre-Law, Cleveland, Ohio

Jared Holt ’23 English, Augusta, Ga.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Tammy Townsend introduced by Jordan Booker ’23 Finance, Atlanta, Ga.

Kylen Dent ’23 Economics, Atlanta, Ga.

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT

Terry L.Woodard ’81 introduced by Malik K. McRae ’23 Biology, Silver Spring, Md.

SAXOPHONES

Jaiden Ty Brown ’26

Political Science

Yulee, Fla.

PIANO

Devan Durrett ’26

Music

Nashville, Tenn.

RHYTHM SECTION

Collin Brown ’26

Music Performance

Kennesaw, Ga.

Calvin Roosevelt Bell III ’24

Political Science and Philosophy

Pennsauken, N.J.

Khalil Bucknor ’25

Psychology

Largo, Md.

Sajed Ibn Yusuf

Ali Muhammad ’24

Civil Engineering

Brooklyn, N.Y.

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER AWARD RECIPIENT

Sanford L. Biggers ’92 introduced by Kamahl L. Grant ’24 Economics & Mathematics, Lawrenceville, Ga.

John P. Curry ’23 Philosophy, Nashville, Tenn.

BENNIE LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENT

James W. Compton ’61 introduced by George A. Pratt ’23 History & Religion, Jacksonville, Fla.

CANDLE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND PHILANTHROPY AWARD RECIPIENT

David J. Grain introduced by Alexander Walton ’23 Philosophy, San Francisco, Calif.

CANDLE IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT AWARD RECIPIENT

Courtney B. Vance introduced by Zachariah Smith ’23 Finance, Chicago, Ill.

GALA APPEAL

Divine U. Linus ’23 Mathematics, Lagos, Nigeria

MOREHOUSE COLLEGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Chad E. Hughes, Ph.D. Director of Morehouse Jazz Ensemble

Jerelle Hannah ’25

English Farmington Hills, Mich.

Spencer Robertson ’23

Chinese Studies

Kansas City, Kan.

Akil Shaw ’23

Music Performance

Atlanta, Ga.

Cedric Winston ’23

Political Science

Bastrop, La.

Miles Lydell Leathers ’23

Business Administration

Durham, N.C.

Miles Ahmad Lousion ’23

Kinesiology

Denver, Colo.

Olufemi Yessoufou ’23

Business Administration

Columbia, Md.

TROMBONES

Joshua Gandy ’25 Political Science

Mobile, Ala.

Jeremiah Hickey ’23

Music Composition

Cataula, Ga.

Julian Hudson ’24

Music Performance

Maplewood, N.J.

TRUMPETS

Winston Doss ’25

Computer Engineering

Chicago Heights, Ill.

Gregory Hunt ’23

Music Performance

Charlotte, N.C.

London Sheperd ’26

Music Performance

Oklahoma City,Okla.

Frederick Shepard ’25

Engineering

Atlanta, Ga.

Gala Ushers

Tyler Jaden Greene ’24

Sociology

East Orange, N.J.

Caval Lavar Spearman Jr. ’26

Theatre and Performing Arts

Chicago, Ill.

Aylon De’on Gipson ’24

Economics

Montgomery, Ala.

Tyler Emmanuel Mathieu ’26

Economics

Jonesboro, Ga.

Ja’Tavius Anderson ’25

Biology

Boynton Beach, Fl.

Thailer Matthew Ragland ’23

Physics

Memphis, Tenn.

Zion Egzaibher Horn ’26

Software Engineering

Chicago, Ill.

Caleb Isaiah Cage ’25

Religion

Bowie, Md.

VOCALS

Coby Bennett ’24

Vocal Performance

Memphis, Tenn.

Jaelynn Pearson ’25

Psychology

Philadelphia, Pa.

Sasha Williams ’25 Psychology

Madison, Miss.

Joel Anthony Walker Jr. ’23

Biology

Donaldsonville, La.

Kyle Simon ’26

Software Engineering

Covington, Ga.

Elijah Giovanni-Shamar

Gatling ’24

History and Religion

Rich Square, N.C.

The Gala of Galas

Morehouse knew it needed to enhance its annual Founder’s Day celebration when alumni and friends of the College expressed the need for a formal, elaborate and celebratory fundraising event to draw them back to the College. Atlanta residents and local corporations, as well as members of the philanthropic community, were continually flooded with invitations from nonprofit organizations requesting their participation in fundraisers, so Morehouse needed to launch a unique, memorable event.

It was imperative that the Morehouse College family did all it could to make its event stand out by conveying several special facts about the College, such as:

• Morehouse, founded in 1867, is the nation’s only predominantly Black, all-male institution of higher learning; and

• The College is noted for its legacy of producing graduates who have become leaders in a variety of fields.

Despite the disheartening statistics regarding the plight of Black males, Morehouse continues to attract many of the nation’s brightest Black male students and provides an environment that is academically challenging and socially enriching.

Morehouse is committed to raising funds to ensure that a college education remains attainable for qualified Black males who are financially disadvantaged.

In 1988, alumni Robert H. Bolton ’86 and Hardy R. Franklin Jr. ’83, who were members of the College’s development team, conceived the idea for the “A Candle

in the Dark” Gala. With the support of President Leroy Keith ’61 and Richard A. Ammons, the institution’s vice president for development, plans were developed to unveil the Gala on Feb. 18, 1989, as a part of the College’s 122nd Founder’s Day Celebration.

The Gala is named for the official history book of Morehouse, written by alumnus Edward A. Jones ’26, “A Candle in the Dark: A History of Morehouse College.” The black-tie affair was designed to highlight the College’s traditional mission of producing leaders, pay tribute to nationally acclaimed Black leaders who are considered giants in their respective fields, and showcase the talents and oratorical skills of Morehouse students. It would also serve as one of the College’s major annual fundraising activities, with the goal of attracting approximately 1,000 guests, and generating revenue for the institution’s endowed scholarship fund.

Honorees would be presented with either a “Bennie” or “Candle” Award. Atlantabased artist Lev T. Mills was commissioned to design what would become two of the nation’s most coveted awards. The late Mordecai Etchison Jr. sculpted the initial awards. Today, each award is individually hand-sculpted by renowned Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna, Ga.

“Bennie” recipients, who must be graduates of the College, receive recognition in the categories of service, achievement, and trailblazing. The award is named in honor of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, who served as Morehouse President from 1940 to 1967, and is considered a legend among all alumni.

“Candle” recipients are honored for excellence in a variety of fields including the arts, athletics, business, education, entertainment, government, law, medicine, the military, religion, and science and technology.

In 1989, the “A Candle in the Dark” Gala was recognized as the most outstanding special event in Georgia and presented with the “Phoenix Award for Excellence” by the Public Relations Society of America, Georgia Chapter.

Since the first “A Candle in the Dark” Gala, the College has presented “Bennie” and “Candle” Awards to hundreds of talented individuals from a wide variety of fields.

In 1998, alumnus Henry M. Goodgame ’84, in his capacity as director of alumni relations, the annual fund and special events, began providing the direction and coordination for the Founder’s Day and Gala planning activities. He leads a college-wide team of dedicated staff to take the award-winning Gala to new heights of excellence.

Indeed, the Gala has become a signature event for Morehouse, Atlanta, and the nation. In 2004, Morehouse officials had the distinction of presenting the first Candle Award to an outstanding African American woman, Oprah Winfrey.

College friends, supporters, and alumni await with great anticipation their annual invitation for the “A Candle in the Dark” Gala. Since its inception, the Gala has grossed more than $30 million, with net proceeds benefiting the Morehouse College General Scholarship Fund.

ET FACTA

“There is an air of expectancy at Morehouse. It is expected It is also expected that once a man bears the insignia of BENJAMIN

PRESIDENT, MOREHOUSE COLLEGE, EXCERPT FROM

EST LUX

expected that the student who enters here will do well. of a Morehouse graduate, he will do exceptionally well...”

Past BENNIE AND CANDLE HONOREES

2022

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Paul S. “PJ” Morton Jr. ’03

Grammy Award-Winning Musician,Composer, Educator, Recording Artist, and Member of Maroon 5

BENNIE LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

Bakari T. Sellers, ESQ. ’05

CNN Contributor, Author, and former Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

John K. “JK” Haynes, Ph.D. ’64

Distinguished Educator, Researcher and former Dean of Science and Mathematics, Morehouse College

CANDLE IN LEADERSHIP AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Marc H. Morial

President and CEO, National Urban League Former Mayor of New Orleans

CANDLE IN TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Charles E. Phillips

Managing Partner and Co-Founder, RECOGNIZE

Former CEO of Infor

CANDLE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND PHILANTHROPY

Judson W. Pickard Jr. Cincinnati Businessman, Philanthropist Owner of McDonald’s Franchises

CANDLE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND PHILANTHROPY

William “Bill” F. Pickard, Ph.D.

President and Co-Owner, Real Times Media Chairman, Global Automotive Alliance Detroit Businessman, Philanthropist, and Author

2021

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Gordon L. Joyner ’72

Owner, The Law Offices of Gordon L. Joyner

Fmr. Executive Director/Administrator, State of Georgia Civil Rights Department, Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity

BENNIE SERVICE

Robert “Rob” Gore, M.D. ’98

Physician and Founder, Kings Against Violence Initiative Inc.

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Raphael G. Warnock ’91

U.S. Senator from Georgia

Senior Pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church

CANDLE IN LAW AND INNOVATION

Kenneth C. Frazier

Chairman, President and CEO, Merck

CANDLE IN EDUCATION AND PHILANTHROPY

Darren Walker

President and CEO, Ford Foundation

CANDLE IN BUSINESS, ARTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT

Byron Allen

Founder, Chairman and CEO, Allen Media Group Media Mogul, Philanthropist

2020

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Verdun Perry ’94

Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Strategic Partners, Blackstone

BENNIE LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

Admiral Alvin Holsey ’88

Rear Admiral and Commander Commander, Strike Group One, U.S. Navy

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Eddie Glaude, Ph.D. ’89 Chair, African American Studies Program

James S. McDonnell Distinguished Professor of African American Studies, Princeton University

CANDLE IN MISSION AND MINISTRY

Lawrence Edward Carter Sr., Ph.D.

Founding Dean, Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel Author, Archivist, College Curator and Professor of Religion Morehouse College

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Adebayo Ogunlesi

Chairman and Managing Partner, Global Infrastructure Partners

CANDLE IN ART, HISTORY AND CULTURE

Lonnie G. Bunch III

Director, National Museum of African American History and Culture

14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution

2019

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Steve Pamon ’91 President & CEO, Parkwood Entertainment

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

F. DuBois Bowman ’92

12th Dean, University of Michigan School of Public Health Tenured Professor of Biostatistics

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Ray M. Robinson

Retired President, AT&T Southern Region Chairman of the Board, Citizens Trust Bank

CANDLE IN LAW AND BUSINESS

Jeffrey Harleston

General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for North America Universal Music Group

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Norm Nixon

Two-time NBA World Champion & NBA All-Star Accomplished Businessman and Humanitarian

CANDLE IN SCIENCE AND INNOVATION

N. Anthony Coles

Chairman & CEO Yumanity Therapeutics LLC

2018

BENNIE SERVICE

William T. McDaniel Jr. ’67

Professor Emeritus of Music and African American & African Studies, The Ohio State University

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Emmett D. Carson ’81

Chief Executive Officer, President, and Director, Silicon Valley Community Foundation

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

Cedric I. Richmond ’95

U.S. Representative

Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

William M. Lewis Jr.

Managing Director and Co-Chairman Investment Banking at Lazard Freres & Co. LLC

CANDLE IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Oz Scott

Celebrated Director and Producer

CANDLE IN BUSINESS AND PHILANTHROPY

Robert F. Smith

Founder, Chairman and CEO, Vista Equity Partners

2017

BENNIE SERVICE

Jonathan L. Walton ’96

Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard Divinity School and Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church at Harvard

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

Theodore Colbert III ’96

Chief Information Officer & Senior Vice President of Information Technology, Boeing Co.

CANDLE IN MUSIC, BUSINESS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Jon Platt

Chairman & CEO, Music Publisher, Warner/Chappell Music

CANDLE IN PHILANTHROPY, ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Usher Raymond

New Look Foundation

Acclaimed Singer, Dancer, Actor, Producer and Philanthropist

NOTE: Career title at

Past BENNIE AND CANDLE HONOREES

CANDLE IN PHILANTHROPY, ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Tyler Perry

Owner, The Tyler Perry Co. Inc.

Actor, Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Playwright, Author and Philanthropist

2016

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Rufus H. Rivers ’86

Managing Partner, RLJ Equity Partners

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

Joseph L. Press III ’84

Senior Division Sales Manager, Ethicon Inc. Johnson & Johnson

BENNIE SERVICE

Robert E. Steele ’65

Founding Executive Director David C. Driskell Center University of Maryland, College Park

CANDLE IN BUSINESS AND LAW

Christopher P. Reynolds

Chief Legal Officer

Toyota Motor North America

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Richard Roundtree

Award-Nominated Actor

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN CIVIL RIGHTS AND PUBLIC SERVICE

John Lewis *

Civil Rights Activist

U.S. House of Representatives

Georgia’s 5th Congressional District

2015

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Paul Q. Judge ’98 Technology Entrepreneur

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Eugene V. Wade Jr. ’92

Education Entrepreneur

CEO, University Now

CANDLE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Robert B. Crews Jr.

CEO Airport Retail Management (ARM)

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Thomas A. Moorehead

Owner, BMW/Rolls-Royce Dealership

CANDLE IN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Grant H. Hill

Former NBA All-Star Player and Real Estate Investment Firm Owner

2014

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

James H. Shelton III ’89

Acting Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education

BENNIE SERVICE

Donald L. Hense ’70

Educator, Founder and CEO of the Friendship Public Charter School

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

John E. Williams ’69

Former Division Dean, Interim Provost and Professor Emeritus at Morehouse College

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Reginald C. Lindsay ’67 (Posthumously) Attorney and Former U.S. District Judge (Massachusetts)

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Stevie Wonder

Grammy Award-Winning Musician, Producer, Songwriter, and Performer

2013

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Calvin Mackie ’90 Author, Educator, Engineer, and Motivational Speaker

BENNIE SERVICE

Milton J. Little Jr. ’76 President & CEO United Way of Greater Atlanta Inc.

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

Willis B. Sheftall Jr., Ph.D. ’64 Professor of Economics and Acting President of Morehouse College

CANDLE IN SCIENCE

Charles F. Bolden NASA Administrator and Famed Astronaut

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Ulysses L. Bridgeman Jr. Founder and CEO, Bridgeman Foods Inc. Former NBA Star

CANDLE IN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Laurence J. Fishburne

Critically Acclaimed Actor, Director and Producer

2012

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

Herman F. Bostick, Ph.D. ’49 *

Distinguished Professor Howard University

BENNIE SERVICE

Earl F. Hilliard ’64

Former United States Congressman

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Calvin W. McLarin, M.D. ’68 *

Renowned Cardiologist

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

Robert M. Franklin, Ph.D. ’75

10th President, Morehouse College and Distinguished Professor

CANDLE IN HUMANITARIAN SERVICE AND BUSINESS

Earl W. Stafford Sr.

Founder, The Stafford Foundation

2011

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Melvin D. Gerald, M.D. ’64

Distinguished Physician, Gerald Family Care Associates

BENNIE SERVICE

Curley M. Dossman ’73

Education Advocate and President, Georgia-Pacific Foundation

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

William M. Jackson ’56

Distinguished Space Scientist and Educator University of California at Davis

CANDLE IN BUSINESS AND LAW

Donald V. Watkins

Noted Entrepreneur and Attorney, Donald V. Watkins, P.C.

CANDLE IN RELIGION

Harry S. Wright Sr. ’53

Pastor Emeritus of Cornerstone Baptist Church

Brooklyn, N.Y.

CANDLE IN JOURNALISM

Ronald R. Davenport Sr.

Radio Broadcasting Pioneer

Chairman, Sheridan Broadcasting Corp.

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ATHLETICS

Frank Robinson *

Major League Baseball Legend

Major League Operations

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Morgan Freeman

Academy Award-Winning Actor and Director

Past BENNIE AND CANDLE HONOREES

2010

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

Ronald S. Sullivan Jr. ’89

Distinguished Clinical Professor of Law

Director, Harvard Criminal Justice Institute, Harvard Law School

BENNIE SERVICE

Perry A. Henderson, M.D. ’54

Renowned, Retired Physician and Professor of OB/GYN, University of WisconsinMadison Medical School

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Julius E. Coles ’63

Internationally-renowned Career Minister and Foreign Service Officer (USAID)

Immediate Past President, Africare

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Lonnie C. King ’69 *

Noted Civil Rights Activist

President and CEO of the Onyx Development Co. LLC

CANDLE IN HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT

Lloyd Dean

President and Chief Executive Officer Catholic Healthcare West

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

Freeman A. Hrabowski III

Noted Author and Educator

President, University of Maryland Baltimore County

CANDLE IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Antonio “L.A.” Reid

Music Industry Pioneer

Entrepreneur and Philanthropist

Chairman of the Island Def Jam Music Group

2009

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

Charles David Moody ’78

Entrepreneur and Business Executive

Owner, President, and CEO of C.D. Moody Construction Co. Inc.

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

J. Jerome Farris ’51 *

U.S. Court of Appeals Judge (Ninth Circuit) and Former President, Board of Regents, the University of Washington

BENNIE SERVICE

Arthur Lee Johnson ’48 *

Civil Rights Leader, NAACP Pioneer, and Retired Educator

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Richard C. Caesar ’40 *

Noted Dentist, Original Tuskegee Airman and Philanthropist

CANDLE IN GOVERNMENT AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Charles Bernard “Charlie” Rangel

Distinguished U.S. Congressman and Civil Rights Activist

CANDLE IN MEDICINE

Ernest A. “Ernie” Bates, M.D. Distinguished Neurosurgeon, Philanthropist, President and CEO American Shared Hospital Services Inc.

CANDLE IN RELIGION

Samuel Berry McKinney ’49 * Civil Rights Activist and Pastor Emeritus of Mount Zion Baptist Church, Seattle, Wash.

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN SPORTS AND SOCIAL ACTIVISM

Tommie Smith

1968 Olympic Gold Medalist and Human Rights Activist

2008

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

M. William Howard Jr. ’68 Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church and former President, New York Theological Seminary

BENNIE SERVICE

Mack Roach ’75

World-Renowned Urology Researcher Professor, Radiation Oncology and Urology

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

James R. Hall ’57 Lt. General, U.S. Army (ret.) and Morehouse College Trustee

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Clinton Warner ’44 * Pioneering Georgia Physician and Morehouse College Trustee Emeritus

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Lloyd G. Trotter

Prominent Businessman General Electric

CANDLE IN MEDICINE

Alvin H. Crawford, M.D., FACS Director, Pediatric Orthopedics Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

William “Smokey” Robinson Jr.

Legendary Grammy Award-Winning Recording Artist, Record Producer, and Record Executive

2007

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

Robert C. Davidson Jr. ’67

Distinguished Businessman

President and CEO

Surface Protection Industries

BENNIE SERVICE

Melvin D. Smith, M.D. ’61 *

World-Renowned Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Leroy R. Johnson ’49 *

Pioneering Georgia Senator and Prominent Attorney

CANDLE IN RELIGION

Amos C. Brown Sr. ’64

Senior Pastor, Third Baptist Church Noted Civil and Human Rights Activist

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Alden J. McDonald Jr.

Prominent Businessman

CEO and President, Liberty Bank & Trust

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS

Joseph E. Lowery *

Renowned Civil Rights Activist

Co-Founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Roscoe Lee Browne *

Acclaimed Actor and Renowned Poet

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Sidney Poitier * Academy Award-Winning Actor

2006

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Michael L. Lomax ’68

President and CEO

UNCF

BENNIE SERVICE

Albert J. Price ’50 *

Retired U.S. Air Force Pilot and State Senator

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Thomas J. Sampson ’68

Managing Partner, Thomas, Kennedy, Sampson & Patterson Law Firm

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Alphonse Fletcher Jr.

Prominent Businessman

Fletcher Asset Management Inc.

Past BENNIE AND CANDLE HONOREES

CANDLE IN MEDICINE

Augustus White III, M.D.

Orthopedic Surgeon

CANDLE IN BUSINESS AND SPORTS MANAGEMENT

Butch Lewis * Prominent Businessman and Sports Promoter

CANDLE IN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT FOR ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Gordon Parks *

World-Renowned Photographer

CANDLE IN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT FOR ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Geoffrey Holder *

World-Renowned Artist, Dancer and Choreographer

2005

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

James O. Webb ’53

Founder & Managing Principal Baker-Eubanks LLC

BENNIE SERVICE

Richard O. Hope ’61

Vice-President, Public Policy and International Affairs Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Program

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Gerald L. Truesdale ’71 *

Distinguished Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

Reginald Davis ’84

Head of Business Banking

SunTrust

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Herman J. Russell *

Chairman

H.J. Russell & Company

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

Charles J. Ogletree

Jesse Climenko Professor of Law Harvard University

CANDLE IN MEDICINE

Charles J. McDonald

Professor of Medical Science

Chair, Department of Dermatology

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Berry Gordy

Founder, Motown Records

Chairman, West Grand Media Inc.

2004

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Sanford D. Bishop Jr. ’68 Congressman, Georgia, 2nd District

BENNIE SERVICE AWARD

Howard H. Carey ’57 * President & CEO Neighborhood House Association

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER AWARD

Isaac Willis ’61 * Distinguished Dermatologist, Northwest Medical Center

CANDLE IN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Tom Joyner

Nationally Syndicated Radio Host Founder, Tom Joyner Foundation & REACH Media Inc.

CANDLE IN MEDICINE

LaSalle D. Lefall Jr. *

Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery, Howard University

CANDLE IN LEADERSHIP

Jesse Hill Jr. * Former Chairman, Atlanta Life Insurance Co.

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Ossie Davis *

Acclaimed Actor & Activist

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN HUMANITARIAN SERVICE

Oprah Winfrey

Philanthropist and Entertainer, Founder, Oprah’s Angel Network & The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, Chairwoman, HARPO Entertainment Group, Co-founder, Oxygen Media

2003

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Harold A. Dawson Sr. ’63 * Entrepreneur and Real Estate Developer

BENNIE SERVICE

Jeh Charles Johnson ’79

Former General Counsel, U.S. Air Force Litigation Partner with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Willie J. “Flash” Davis ’56 * Prominent Criminal Defense Attorney and Litigation Partner with Davis, Robinson & White LLP

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Robert L. Johnson

Entertainment and Television Pioneer Chairman, Black Entertainment Television

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

Kwame Anthony Appiah

Distinguished Author and Philosopher

Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Philosophy Princeton University

CANDLE IN JOURNALISM

Ed Bradley *

Award-Winning Journalist

Senior Correspondent for CBS’ “60 Minutes”

CANDLE IN MEDICINE

Keith L. Black

Director, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute and Division of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Chairman, Department of Neurological Surgery, The University of California at Irvine

2002

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Artis A. White ’51 *

Maxillofacial Prosthodontist

BENNIE SERVICE

Tobe Johnson Jr. ’54 *

Distinguished Political Scientist and Chair, Department of Political Science, Morehouse College

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

James H. Sills Jr. ’55

Former Mayor of Wilmington, Del.

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

William “Bill” G. Nunn III ’76 * Famed Actor

CANDLE IN LEADERSHIP

William H. Gray III *

President and CEO, The College Fund/UNCF

CANDLE IN RELIGION

Charles Gilchrist Adams

Senior Pastor, Hartford Memorial Baptist Church Detroit, Mich.

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN LITERARY AND PERFORMING ARTS

August Wilson *

Award-Winning Playwright

Past BENNIE AND CANDLE HONOREES

CANDLE IN EDUCATION AND BUSINESS

2001

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Ezra C. Davidson Jr. ’54 * Distinguished Physician and Educator

BENNIE SERVICE

Horace T. Ward ’49 *

U.S. Federal Judge and Civil Rights Attorney

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

Charles “Chuck” H. James III ’81 * President and CEO, C.H. James & Co.

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Howard F. Jeter ’70

U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria

CANDLE IN HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS

C.T. Vivian * Civil Rights Strategist

CANDLE IN SOCIAL ACTIVISM

Dick Gregory *

Civil Rights Activist, Nutritionist, and Comedian

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Harry Belafonte

Award-Winning Actor/Entertainment Legend

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Ray Charles *

World-Renowned R&B Legend and Songwriter

2000

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Herman Cain ’67 *

CEO, Godfather’s Pizza and President, National Restaurant Association

BENNIE SERVICE

Cameron Alexander ’59 *

Noted pastor and community activist Antioch Baptist Church North

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

Robert L. Mallett ’79

Deputy Secretary of Commerce

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Charles D. Watts Sr. ’38 * Physician and Medical Educator

CANDLE IN ATHLETICS

Tony Dorsett

Football Hall of Fame

CANDLE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Bernard Harris

Astronaut, Vice President Spacehab Inc.

Clifton R. Wharton

Former President of Michigan State University and Former CEO of TIAA-CREF

1999

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Peter Chatard ’56 President

Washington Society of Plastic Surgeons

BENNIE SERVICE

Lerone Bennett ’49 * Executive Editor, Ebony Magazine

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

David Satcher ’63

U.S. Surgeon General and Assistant Secretary of Health

CANDLE IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Arthur Mitchell *

Founder and Director, Dance Theatre of Harlem

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Earl G. Graves Sr. *

Publisher, Black Enterprise Magazine

Chairman and CEO, Earl G. Graves Ltd.

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Quincy Jones Musician, Composer and Record Producer

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN SPORTS AND ATHLETICS

Muhammad Ali * Former Gold Medalist, and Heavyweight Champion of the World

1998

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

George W. Haley ’49 * Chairman, Postal Rate Commission

BENNIE SERVICE

Frederick E. Mapp ’32 * Educator and Published Scholar

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

H. Julian Bond ’71 * Civil Rights Activist and Scholar-in-Residence at American University

BENNIE LEADERSHIP

John Silvanus Wilson Jr. ’79 Director of Foundation Relations and School Development Services at MIT

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

Alvin F. Poussaint

Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Harvard University School of Medicine

CANDLE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE

Joseph E. Marshall Jr.

Founder and Executive Director of Omega Boys Club

1997

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Maceo K. Sloan ’71

President & CEO, Sloan Financial Group Inc.

BENNIE SERVICE

Major R. Owens ’56 *

Congressman, U.S. House of Representatives

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Donald R. Hopkins ’62

Epidemiologist and Senior Consultant, The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Dennis F. Hightower

Retired President, Walt Disney Television & Telecommunications

Senior Lecturer, Harvard University Business School

CANDLE IN JOURNALISM

Bernard Shaw *

Principal Washington Anchor, CNN

1996

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Hobert Kornegay ’45 * Dentist and Politician

BENNIE SERVICE

Henry W. Foster Jr. ’54 * Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology

Meharry Medical College

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Samuel L. Jackson ’72

Veteran Actor and Academy Award Nominee

CANDLE IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Joe Adams *

Executive Vice President, Ray Charles Enterprises

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Robert E. Johnson ’48 *

Executive Editor and Associate Publisher

Jet Magazine

CANDLE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

James King Jr. ’53 *

Former Director of the Engineering and Science Directorate Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Past BENNIE AND CANDLE HONOREES

1995

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Samuel Milton Nabrit ’25 * Former Foundation Director and College President

BENNIE SERVICE

Samuel DuBois Cook ’48 * President, Dillard University

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

J. Eugene Grigsby ’38 * Artist and Professor

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

Hugh Morris Gloster ’31 * President Emeritus, Morehouse College

CANDLE IN GOVERNMENT

Andrew Young

Civil Rights Leader

Former Mayor of Atlanta, U.S. Congressman, and U.S. Ambassador

CANDLE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

Derrick Albert Bell Jr.* Professor, Harvard University Law School

1994

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Maynard Holbrook Jackson ’56 * First African American Mayor of Atlanta

BENNIE SERVICE

Charles V. Willie ’48 * Professor of Education and Urban Studies Harvard University Graduate School of Education

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Edwin C. Moses ’78

Olympic Champion, Sports Administrator and Diplomat

CANDLE IN ATHLETICS

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Professional Basketball Player

CANDLE IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Sinbad

Comedian, Actor, Entertainer

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

Cornel West

Professor of Religion and Director of the Afro-American Studies Department, Princeton University

CANDLE IN SOCIAL JUSTICE

A. Leon Higginbotham Jr.* Professor, Harvard University

1993

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Roy Terry ’66 and Rudolph Terry ’69 * Terry Manufacturing Co.

BENNIE SERVICE

J.O.B. Moseley ’29 (Posthumously) * Composer

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Griffith Jerome Davis ’47 * Photographer, Journalist and Diplomat

CANDLE IN ATHLETICS

Reggie White * Athlete and Evangelist

CANDLE IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Kenny Leon

Artistic Director of Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre Co.

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Arthur Johnson ’68

President and Chief Operating Officer, IBM Federal Systems Co. Vice Chairman of the Postal Rate Commission

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

Samuel Proctor*

Pastor Emeritus, Abyssinian Baptist Church

CANDLE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Arthur Ashe (Posthumously) * Athlete and Humanitarian

1992

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

I. Owen Funderburg ’48 * President, Citizens Trust Bank

BENNIE SERVICE

Clarence “Kappa” Brown ’40 * Retired, New York Transit Authority

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Walter E. Massey ’58 Director, National Science Foundation

CANDLE IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Louis Gossett Jr.

Actor

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Roy S. Roberts Manufacturing Manager, General Motors Corp. Cadillac Motor Division

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

Robert H. Brisbane*

Retired Chairman and Professor, Political Science, Morehouse College

CANDLE IN RELIGION

George H. Clements

Founder, One Church, One Child

1991

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Nathaniel Hawthorne Bronner ’40 *

Founder and President, Bronner Brothers Beauty Complex

BENNIE SERVICE

Edward B. Williams ’27 *

Professor Emeritus of Economics, Morehouse College

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

George William Crockett Jr. ’31 *

Retired U.S. Congressman

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

Kenneth I. Chenault

President, Consumer Card & Financial Services Group, USA American Express, Travel Related Services Co. Inc.

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

John Hope Franklin *

James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of History and Professor of Legal History, The Law School, Duke University

CANDLE IN THE MILITARY

Robert L. Toney *

Former Director for Logistics and Security Assistance

U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith

CANDLE IN RELIGION

Otis Moss Jr. ’56

Pastor, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church

1990

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

T.M. Alexander Sr. ’31 *

President, T.M. Alexander Co. Inc.

BENNIE SERVICE

Asa G. Yancey Sr. ’37 *

Retired Medical Director, Grady Memorial Hospital

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Spike Lee ’79

Filmmaker and President, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks

CANDLE IN ATHLETICS

Henry “Hank” Aaron *

Legendary Baseball Player and Senior Vice President of the Atlanta Braves

CANDLE IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Denzel Washington Academy Award-Winning Actor

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

Asa G. Hilliard III *

Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Urban Education, Georgia State University

CANDLE IN RELIGION

Calvin O. Butts III ’72 *

Pastor, Abyssinian Baptist Church

Past BENNIE AND CANDLE HONOREES

BENNIE ACHIEVEMENT

Roderic Pettigrew ’72

Physician/Nuclear Physicist

BENNIE SERVICE

Otis Smith ’47 * President

Atlanta Chapter NAACP

BENNIE TRAILBLAZER

Louis Sullivan, M.D. ’54

Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

CANDLE IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Danny Glover Actor

CANDLE IN ATHLETICS

Vincent “Bo” Jackson

Professional Athlete

L.A. Raiders and Kansas City Royals

CANDLE IN BUSINESS

George R. Lewis

Vice President and Treasurer Philip Morris Companies Inc.

CANDLE IN EDUCATION

Henry Louis Gates Jr.

W.E.B. DuBois Professor of Literature, Cornell University

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

7.500 Inches

CANDLE IN LAW

Kurt Schmoke

Mayor of Baltimore, Md.

CANDLE IN MILITARY

Fred A. Gorden

Commandant of Cadets, U.S. Military Academy

CANDLE IN RELIGION

Eugene A. Marino *

Archbishop of the Atlanta Catholic Archdiocese

CANDLE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Benjamin Carson

Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery

Johns Hopkins Hospital

NOTE: Career title at time of recognition

*Deceased

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Aramark Facilit y S er vices is a proud cor porate sponsor of Morehouse College.

We would like to congratulate Morehouse College in recognition of the 35th Annual “A Cand le in the Dark” S cholarship Gala!

Genuine Parts Company is proud to support Morehouse College’s “A Candle in the Dark” Gala.

Ariel Investments congratulates James W. Compton and the Morehouse College

“A Candle in the Dark” honorees.

We are proud to be part of Morehouse College’s philanthropic community.

reedsmith.com

United we stand as one.

Reed Smith is a proud sponsor of the “A Candle in the Dark” Gala by the esteemed Morehouse College. Congratulations to the highly distinguished honorees for their outstanding contributions in business, law, education, science, technology, sports, entertainment, and other professions. We appreciate your contributions to our communities and admire your achievements.

Reed Smith is a Gala by the esteemed to the highly distinguished contributions in sports, entertainment, your contributions achievements.

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AltFinance is proud to celebrate the 2023 Candle in the Dark honorees and the Morehouse AltFinance fellows.

COMMENCEMENT REUNION

MAY 18–21, 2023

HOMECOMING

OCTOBER 22–29, 2023

SAVE THE DATE SAVE THE DATE

Apollo is proud to sponsor Morehouse College’s 35th Annual ACandleintheDarkGala.

We are committed to expanding opportunity for more students to access the alternatives industry.

The President and Board of Trustees would like to thank the Morehouse community and friends for your generous financial support of our General Scholarship Fund.

2023 GALA STEERING COMMITTEE

Henry Goodgame Jr. ’84 Chair, Founder’s Week Planning Committee Vice President, Office of External Relations and Alumni Engagement

Katina Henderson Hawkins Director of Parent Engagement, Partnerships and Event Sponsorships Office of External Relations

Leah Creque, Ph.D. Professor, Department of English Associate Provost for Pedagogy and Assessment

Oratorical Contest Co-Chair Gala Presenters’ Coach

Candace Bazemore Director Digital Strategy and Transformation Marketing and Communications

Kevin R. Booker ’90 Vice President of Student Services and Dean of the College Office of Student Services

Kendrick Brown Provost and Senior Vice President, Office of Academic Affairs Chair, Founder’s Day Convocation

Kimberly M. Brown Executive Assistant to Dean, Chapel Office Manager & Director of Chapel Arts Ministries Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel

Lawrence E. Carter Sr. Dean, Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel Chair, Founder’s Day Worship Service

Gary C. Clark Multimedia Coordinator Office of External Relations and Alumni Engagement

Michael Davenport Director of Transportation MDMC Transportation Services

D. Aileen Dodd

Senior Director of Advancement

Communications and Digital Strategy

Office of Institutional Advancement

Mel Foster

Associate Provost for Student Success Office of Academic Affairs

Kennard Garrett ’02 Director of Multimedia Services/ Director of Operations-Ray Charles Performing Arts Center/Filming

Warren Greene Event Support Services Office of External Relations and Alumni Engagement

Renee Grier-Calhoun Executive Administrative Assistant Protocol Facilitator

Maisha Gunter Administrative Assistant Student Services

Jasmine Gurley Director of Brand, Media, & Communications Office of Strategic Communications

Kenneth Harris III ’13 Administrative Assistant Event Support Services Office of External Relations and Alumni Engagement

Enrico Hunter General Manager Operations Aramark at Morehouse

Ibiyomi Jegede Freelance Graphic Designer I. J. Creative Designs

Deborah Lawson Board Logistics Coordinator Office of General Council

Brock Mayers ’99

AVP Student Services Cake Cutting Services Office of Student Development

Phillip McCollum Photographer McCollum Photography, Inc

Sidney Miller Media Relations Manager Office of Strategic Communications

Judy Davis Carroll Gala Consultant R.H. Bolton Inc.

Charles Prescott ’07 Chief of Police Campus Police & Security

Rayven Reeves Program Coordinator Event Support Services

Paula Resley

Chief Brand Officer and Vice President, Office of Strategic Communications, Marketing, and Admissions

James Robinson Photographer James F. Robinson Photography

Madeleine Rogers

Gala Administrator & Consultant

Office of External Relations and Alumni Engagement

Haskell Ruff Associate Vice President/Controller Office of Business and Finance

Stacey Sauls Deputy Chief of Police Campus Police & Security

Peggy J. Shaw Public Relations

Wren Cottage Writing & Editing

James Smartt

Founder’s Day Concert Production Director Event Support Services Office of External Relations

Thelbert J. Snowden Chief of Staff to the President Office of the President

Philmon Thomas Associate Vice President Purchasing and Procurement Office of Business and Finance

Sean “Skip” Bland ’05 Director of Alumni Engagement and Events

Michael Turner Associate Dean of Students and Ombudsperson

Terry F. Walker ’89 Convocation Coordinator Director of Chapel Relations Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel

Phillip Wallace Associate Athletic Director for Operations Athletics

Nakia Washington Senior Executive Assistant Office of the President

Klara S. Wesley Executive Assistant Honoree Logistics Administrator Office of External Relations and Alumni Engagement

Brittany Wilkins Coordinator, Davison House

Carlton Winfrey Assistant Manager of Parking Operations Parking Office

Sandra Yates Senior Director Advancement Operations Donor Relations Office of Institutional Advancement

Tracie Young Senior Financial Analyst

Office of VP for Business & Finance

Access to education is the key that unlocks a brighter future

•••

It is our pleasure to support Morehouse College as they provide educational opportunities today which help students become the leaders of tomorrow