Power To Inspire 2023

On August 28, 1963, more than 250,000 people gathered for a landmark event that forever shaped American history: a march to the Lincoln Memorial that culminated in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. The extraordinary success of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom paved the way for passage of transformative civil and voting rights legislation.

As part of our 2023 Power to Inspire Tribute, the Center will honor Mrs. Myrlie Evers-Williams for her lifetime of civil rights advocacy.

Mrs. Evers-Williams and her husband, activist Medgar Evers, opened the first NAACP field office in Mississippi. Their high-profile activism to promote voting rights, equal justice, and economic equality made them targets for racial violence. After several assassination attempts, Medgar Evers was shot and killed by white supremacists in June 1963. His murder was a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement, inspiring activists to continue the struggle for equality despite the threat of racial violence. In the wake of Evers’ assassination, a new civil rights motto was born: “After Medgar, no more fear.”

After her husband’s murder, Mrs. Evers-Williams continued the fight for equality and justice. Between 1995 and 1998, Mrs. Evers-Williams served as chair of the National Board of Directors of the NAACP. She established the Medgar Evers Institute in Jackson, Mississippi. The Evers’ daughter, Reena Evers-Everette, serves as the Institute’s Executive Director. Mrs. Evers-Williams’ work has earned her many tributes, including several honorary doctorates. She was named “Woman of the Year” in 1998 by Ms. magazine and one of the “100 Most Fascinating Black Women of the 20th Century” by  Ebony magazine. In 2013, Mrs. Evers-Williams delivered the invocation at President Barack Obama’s second inauguration, becoming the first woman and first non-clergy member to perform the prayer.

Mrs. Evers-Williams, now 90 years old, was unable to attend the 1963 March on Washington because of travel delays. Sixty years later, she will have an opportunity to experience some of the songs and speeches of the March.

Ambassador Andrew Young has built a remarkable legacy as a civil rights leader, elected official, and visionary humanitarian. He began his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement by organizing voter registration drives while he served as pastor in southern Georgia. Ambassador Young worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to train communities in nonviolent organizing strategies while leading the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). His efforts led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

In 1972, Ambassador Young was elected to Congress, becoming the first African-American representative from the Deep South since Reconstruction. President Jimmy Carter appointed him to serve as the nation’s first African-American Ambassador to the United Nations in 1977. As Mayor of Atlanta from 1982 to 1990, Ambassador Young was instrumental in developing modern-day Atlanta. He continues to focus on expanding educational opportunities and developing humanitarian initiatives through the Andrew J. Young Foundation. Ambassador Young is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the French Legion d’Honneur and has received honorary degrees from more than 100 colleges and universities.

Our Power to Inspire event is the single largest gathering of The Center’s community each year.  At this event, we celebrate individuals who have made a significant impact to protect the rights of others. Past honorees have included leaders, activists and scholars such as Joe Biden (after his Vice Presidency); Ted Turner; Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; and The King Center.

Support from Power to Inspire ensures The Center can deliver on our mission: inspiring people to tap their own power to change the world around them. The Center, which opened in 2014, hosts iconic exhibitions: selections from the Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection; the history of the civil rights movement in the United States; and stories from the struggle for human rights around the world today. The training and educational programs created by The Center serve as a hub of activity for those who seek to understand and engage in civic life.

If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected].