Intergenerational Summit on the State of Black America
and the National Visionary Leadership Project
October 16, 2007
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Lucy Allen Activism |
Derrick Bell Law |
John Conyers, Jr. Politics |
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Norman Francis Education |
Barbara Harris Religion |
Faith Ringgold Visual Arts |
The Intergenerational Summit on the State of Black America was a one-day annual event held October 16, 2007 at the Library of Congress (LOC). The Summit engages an audience of college and high school students in a problem-solving discussion with a panel comprised of six nationally-known Visionary elders and two college students--participants in NVLP’s Visionary Heritage Fellows Program. Together they develop solutions to contemporary issues in the African American community. The event, which included a brief awards ceremony, has been held annually in partnership with the Library of Congress American Folklife Center and is videotaped for educational distribution.
As part of the ceremony, the following students from J.C. Nalle Elementary School in Washington, DC assisted in the presentation of awards: Amari Carter, Guy Cummings, Ann Gill, William Hamm, Ronnita Howerton-Hull, and Alphonso Sullivan.
In conjunction with the Summit, NVLP held a very successful essay contest with six Washington, DC-area high schools. Using NVLP’s website and their own research, the students wrote brief essays describing why their Visionary was a role model. The first-place winners from each school received cash awards, got to have lunch with their respective honoree and read their introductory essays during the award ceremony, which was videotaped for educational broadcasts.
Congratulations to all of the 2007 NVLP Essay Contest Finalists:
CD Hylton Senior High School (VA)
First Place – Sofia Ahmad -- Introduced Lucy Allen
Second Place - Jasmine R. Johnson
Third Place - Ashley Pierce
South Lakes High School (VA)
First Place – Brandon Christopher -- Introduced Derrick A. Bell, Jr.
Second Place - Linden Abston
Third Place – Aaron Clark
Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DC)
First Place - Evan Odoms -- Introduced John Conyers, Jr.
Second Place - Reginald A. Williams
Third Place - Meredith Wyscarver
McKinley Technology High School (DC)
First Place - Melanie Kates – Introduced Norman C. Francis
Second Place - Faith Ajayi
Third Place - Dionte McFadden
Suitland High School (MD)
First Place - Stephanée Martin -- Introduced Faith Ringgold
Second Place - Johnetta Queen
Third Place - Jerome Addison
This year’s Summit was special because it also included a ceremonial transfer of the NVLP master videotapes to the LOC. The ceremony included Visionaries in attendance who are part of the first installment of 50 interviews to the collection: John Hope Franklin, Dorothy I. Height, Charlotte W. Holloman, and Willieboyd McNeil Saddler. The collection, to be permanently archived at the LOC, has become the official repository for the master tapes, transcripts and photos from more than 200 of NVLP’s priceless interviews. After the awards were presented, the honorees were joined on stage by Visionary Heritage Fellows Élan E. S. Moore and Jeffrey McLeod for a lively panel discussion that included questions from the audience, comprised mainly of high school and college students New groups of participants this year included the Washington Metro Scholars (based in Washington, DC) and the Schomburg Center Junior Scholars Program (based in New York City.)Woodrow Wilson Senior High School (DC)
First Place - Aide Peralta -- Introduced Barbara C. Harris
Second Place - Anthony Ortiz
Third Place - Bridget Espana
NVLP is particularly grateful to the Freddie Mac Foundation for their generous support of the 2007 Summit. We’d like to also thank Old Dominion Chapter, The Links, Incorporated and the Eastern Area, The Links, Incorporated for their support of the NVLP High School Essay Contest.
The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress (LOC) was created by the American Folklife Preservation Act, passed by Congress in 1976, to “preserve and present American folklife” through programs of research, documentation, archival preservation, reference service, live performance, exhibition, publication and training. The LOC supports NVLP by providing archival guidance and archiving the original recordings so that they can be preserved and made accessible at the Library of Congress for generations to come.
2007 Honorees
Drawn by J.C. Nalle Elementary Students
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