ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis County NAACP announced Monday that former Gov. Bob Holden will receive the prestigious Margaret Bush Wilson Lifetime Achievement for 2017.
“We are especially pleased this year to honor someone that has been a true friend of the NAACP, a former colleague and a dedicated, selfless public servant in Governor Bob Holden,” St. Louis County NAACP President Esther Haywood said in a statement Monday. “Governor Holden and his wife, Lori, have committed their lives to improving the lives of all Missourians.”
The award is given out in honor of the St. Louis civil rights activist and only the second African-American woman to practice law in the state of Missouri.
Holden was named to the Missouri NAACP executive board last year as part of its restructuring efforts under the then-new leadership of current Missouri NAACP President Rod Chapel. When Chapel appointed Holden, he said the former governor was “well-respected across Missouri as a consensus and coalition builder.”
The award will be given out during the Missouri NAACP’s 2017 Freedom Fund Leadership Dinner at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton June 22.
Other award recipients include Steven and Holly Cousins, who will receive the Frankie Muse Freeman/Norman R. Seay Commitment to St. Louis award, and Lodging Hospitality Management, who is this year’s Corporate Partner for Diversity Inclusion. Senate Minority Leader Gina Walsh will also be recognized as a Legacy Honoree.
“This year’s honorees have exhibited a deep commitment to economic inclusion and regionalism in nearly every industry and sector of business in our region,” Freedom Fund Dinner Committee Chairman John Gaskin III said in a statement. “Gov. Holden has demonstrated that diversity and inclusion is more than just a corporate slogan. It’s an action that is demonstrated through policies and equal opportunity.”
James F. Loomis III, Freedom Fund Dinner General Chair, echoed Gaskin’s sentiments.
“Governor Holden and his fellow honorees have distinguished themselves as premier partners for regional cooperation and inclusive economic growth through their tireless efforts at bettering our collective community,” Loomis said. “No such group embodies the spirit of the 81st Annual Freedom Fund Dinner ‘Rise Together’ theme as this year’s designated honorees.”
