Julian Bond & Oprah Winfrey Twitter/Oprah Winfrey
"God blessed the world with Julian Bond. I am so thankful we were able to honor him last fall. A true hero." - Oprah Winfrey.
You will recall that in honor of the film Selma, Oprah Winfrey decided to honor fourteen Civil Rights Legends at a special weekend celebration. This included a Gala, Gospel Brunch and an all important opportunity for the Legends to express their personal reflections. It is this special honor that Oprah Winfrey is referring to in her above tweet.
Oprah.com
The fourteen legends in attendance were John Lewis, Julian Bond, Sidney Poitier, Quincy Jones, Dick Gregory, Berry Gordy, Andrew Young, Diane Nash, Juanita Jones Abernathy, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Marian Wright Edelman and Rev. C.T. Vivian.
In December 2014, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) had a month long celebration honoring the civil rights legends.
Below is part of the original Press Release:
Oprah Winfrey Presents: Legends Who Paved The Way
(Sunday, January 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Oprah Winfrey hosts a gala of events celebrating the upcoming film Selma and honoring some of the legendary men and extraordinary women of civil rights, the arts and entertainment who made history and redefined what was possible for us all.
The legends that were honored include Ambassador Andrew Young, Berry Gordy, Rev. C.T. Vivian, Diane Nash, Dick Gregory, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., Congressman John Lewis, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Juanita Jones Abernathy, Julian Bond, Marian Wright Edelman, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Quincy Jones, Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte.
The weekend celebration began in Santa Barbara, California with an exclusive screening of Selma at the historic Arlington Theatre followed by an elegant evening gala saluting the legends at the Bacara Resort & Spa.
A special message from President Barack Obama began the evening, with a poem reading by the cast of Selma, written by Pearl Cleage, punctuating the expression of gratitude for the legends before the R&B group The O'Jays took the stage.
The event continued the following day as Oprah hosted a private gospel brunch at her home in Santa Barbara, California, filled with a special performance by gospel/R&B singer Bebe Winans, readings and songs performed by guests of the event, and brunch prepared by Chef Art Smith. Selma, produced by Paramount Pictures, Pathé and Harpo Films, opens nationwide January 9, 2015 and chronicles the 1965 Selma to Montgomery protest marches in Alabama led by a group of brave men and women in the fight for equal voting rights. Oprah Winfrey is a producer of the film and portrays civil rights activist Annie Lee Cooper. Honoring the 50th anniversary in 2015, these marches ultimately led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, a landmark achievement of the Civil Rights Movement that prohibits racial discrimination in voting.
Attendees of the event honoring the legends included Selma director Ava DuVernay, actor David Oyelowo who portrays Martin Luther King, Jr. in the film along with many Selma cast members including Common, Lorraine Toussaint, Carmen Ejogo, Niecy Nash and Tessa Thompson. Additional guests of the event included Al Roker & Deborah Roberts, Alfre Woodard, Angela Bassett, Ben Vereen, Rev. Bernice King, Bill Withers, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, David Foster, Deion Sanders & Tracey Edmonds, Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi, Gayle King, George Lucas & Mellody Hobson, Iyanla Vanzant, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Kevin & Erika Liles, Magic & Cookie Johnson, Maria Shriver, Martin Luther King, III, Phylicia Rashād, Rashida Jones, Robin Roberts, Roland Martin, Samuel L. Jackson, Shonda Rhimes, Smokey Robinson, Tyler Perry, Tamron Hall and Tasha Smith, among others.
In tribute to Julian Bond, Oprah Winfrey is thankful that they were able to honor this true hero.
In tribute to Julian Bond, Oprah Winfrey is thankful that they were able to honor this true hero.
(c) JuicyChitChats 2015 [Wednesday 19th August]
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Special thanks to all the Civil Rights leaders who paved the way. R.I.P Julian Bond
ReplyDeleteOprah's great. This is why the young ones must respect their seniors. Glad she was able to thank him (& others) for their diligent contributions. Without them the USA would not be what it is today. This appreciation would have warmed Julian Bond's heart and I'm glad him (& others) were celebrated. They can pass the torch because they taught us well. We thank him. Rest in peace Sir Julian Bond.
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