THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS
PRESENTS THIS
HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
TO
WILLIE W. HERENTON
FOR EXEMPLARY COMMITMENT TO AND INVOLVEMENT IN A WIDE RANGE OF CIVIC
AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES;
FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION, INCLUDING UPGRADING THE
QUALITY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, BROADENING THE PARTNERSHIP OF BUSINESS AND
PUBLIC EDUCATION IN MEMPHIS, FOR SOUND MANAGEMENT OF THE NATION’S 13TH
LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT DURING A DIFFICULT TRANSITION PERIOD, AND FOR
CREATING AWARENESS THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION IS EVERY. CITIZEN’S RESPONSIBILITY.
FOR A DEEP AND PERSONAL FAITH COMMITMENT UNITED TO SPIRIT OF GOODWILL
TOWARDS THOSE OF DIFFERENT RACES AND RELIGIOUS PERSUASIONS.
TONIGHT WE HONOR AND BESTOW OUR HUMANITARIAN AWARD ON A MAN WHO HAS
COME VERY FAR AGAINST TREMENDOUS OBSTACLES.
TO UNDERSTAND HIS STORY–TO “FEEL IT ON THE PULSES”–WE MUST TRY TO
REMEMBER WHAT LIFE IN MEMPHIS WAS LIKE FOR A BLACK BOY BORN 46 YEARS
AGO NEXT WEEK. WILLIE WAS BORN AND LIVED FOR 25 YEARS NEAR BARTON AND
CRUMP, NOT TERRIBLY FAR FROM THIS ROOM. WILLIE KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE
IN POOR AND HUMBLE SURROUNDINGS. HE CAN STILL FEEL THE ACHE OF A LITTLE
BOY WHO COULD NOT HAVE A NEW PAIR OF SHOES BECAUSE $8.00 COULD NOT BE
FOUND IN THE FAMILY BUDGET.
WILLIE HERENTON DOES NOT HAVE A FUZZY MEMORY OF WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE IN
MEMPHIS. HE CAN FEEL THE INDIGNITY OF EXCLUSION, OF NOT BEING ALLOWED
TO ATTEND SCHOOL WITH WHITE CHILDREN, OF NOT BEING ALLOWED TO USE THE
WHITE WATER FOUNTAIN. AND HE CAN STILL FEEL ON HIS PULSES THE POUNDING
FEAR AS THE WHITE POLICE OFFICER DREW HIS GUN AND TOLD WILLIE, “LET’S
SEE JUST HOW FAST YOU CAN RUN, NIGGER!”

RACISM WAS NOT SUBTLE, THEN. IT WAS AS TANGIBLE AS A BRICK OR A BULL
DOG OR A RACIST WITH A GUN. BUT TODAY NO ONE TELLS WILLIE HERENTON TO
RUN: THEY ASK HIM TO, VERY POLITELY, WITH PROMISES OF SUPPORT AND AID.
NO ONE KNOWS HOW FAST OR HOW FAR THIS MAN COULD GO, BUT MANY OF US THINK
THE HORIZON IS STILL UNLIMITED.
BORN AND RAISED IN POVERTY, CONFRONTED DAILY WITH THE UGLINESS OF
RACISM, AND APPALLED BY THE IGNORANCE OF SOCIETY, WILLIE BECAME A TEACHER.
HE TAUGHT FIFTH GRADE AT SHANNON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND LATER WAS PRINCIPAL
AT BETHEL GROVE AND LAROSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. IT WAS WHILE HE WAS
STILL PRINCIPAL AT BETHEL GROVE, IN 1969, THAT WILLIE’S EPIPHANY TOOK
PLACE. THE NAACP ORGANIZED A MARCH DOWNTOWN TO PROTEST TOKEN AND UNFAIR
REPRESENTATION OF BLACKS IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
SYSTEM. WILLIE JOINED THE MARCH AND MET THE TEST THAT DAY. THE
RECOGNITION OF WILLIE HERENTON AS A NATURAL LEADER OF BOTH THE BLACK
COMMUNITY AND THE CITY OF MEMPHIS BEGAN ON THAT DAY.
MAXINE SMITH AND FRED SMITH HAVE DESCRIBED WILLIE HERENTON AS A MAN WHO
IS HONEST AND DEMANDING, WHILE ALSO BEING COURAGEOUS AND FULL OF EMPATHY.
IT IS TO HOLIDAY CORPORATION’S CREDIT THAT THEY HAVE RECOGNIZED THIS
GREAT MAN AND ASKED THAT HE LEND HIS STRENGTH TO HELP THEM GROW.
AND WE SHOULD THANK GOD FOR HIS STRENGTH. HERE IS A MAN WE HAVE ASKED
TO REBUILD A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR ALL OF US, WHEN IT WAS DESIGNED
FOR ONLY SOME OF US, TO EDUCATE THE MANY, WHEN IT WAS DESIGNED TO
EDUCATE THE FEW.
WILLIE’S TRIUMPH IS A CLASSIC AMERICAN TALE OF OVERCOMING ADVERSITY,
OF TAKING AN UNWAVERING STAND AT THE MOMENT OF DECISION, OF MEETING THE
CHALLENGE AND ACCEPTING THE CALL. FROM MEAGER BEGINNINGS, WILLIE HERENTON
HAS BECOME AN ESTABLISHED LEADER WITH A GREAT CAUSE TO FIGHT.
WILLIE’S STORY IS THAT OF A MAN WHO CREATED HIS OWN DESTINY, CARVED HIS
OWN FUTURE OUT OF THE URBAN AMERICAN WILDERNESS. WE SPOKE EARLIER OF
WILLIE AS A TEACHER. THERE IS ONE CENTRAL LESSON THIS GREAT HUMANITARIAN
EXEMPLIFIES. WALT WHITMAN SAID IT:

0 I SEE FLASHING THAT THIS AMERICA Is ONLY YOU AND ME,
ITS POWER, WEAPONS, TESTIMONY, ARE YOU AND ME,
ITS CRIMES, LIES, THEFTS, DEFECTIONS, ARE YOU AND ME,
ITS CONGRESS IS YOU AND ME, THE OFFICERS, CAPITOLS,
ARMIES, SHIPS, ARE YOU AND ME.
WILLIE WOULD ADD THAT THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WE DESIGN AND THE SOCIETY
WE CALL “MEMPHIS” ARE YOU AND ME.

WILLIE HERENTON, WITH THIS MID-LIFE AWARD, WE CHALLENGE YOU NOT TO REST
ON THIS PLATEAU, BUT TO RISE TO EVEN GREATER HEIGHTS, TO BE A SYMBOL OF
HOPE FOR ALL YOUTH AND ALL AMERICANS. LET US SEE YOU BECOME GREATER!
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
CONGRATULATIONS, WILLIE!