African-American Men's Day Hailed

Ebony, Sept, 2001

EBONY And Colgate-Palmolive Honor Fathers And Sons

GROWN men cried and asked why no one had done this before. A superstar father and a superstar son sang "The Wind Beneath My Wings" to each other and to fathers and sons everywhere.

In the end, after an unprecedented all-day session of workshops and tributes, more than 1,000 Black males recommitted themselves to one another and to the new idea represented by the first annual African-American Men's Day, sponsored by EBONY magazine and Colgate-Palmolive.

Held at the Hilton New York & Towers, and attended by a telling mixture of educators, superstars, students and grassroots activists, the event was hailed as a breakthrough model that should be replicated in communities and cities across the country. Jeff Burns Jr., the Johnson Publishing Company senior vice president who coordinated the event, said the response was so overwhelming that it was necessary to turn thousands away and that the company is planning a larger event in June 2002.

In a special message to the celebration, EBONY's founding father, Chairman and CEO John H. Johnson, said that "being a father is one of life's greatest gifts. To become a great father, you must give of yourself, showing your children by both your words and example how to become the best they can be."

The keynote speaker, EBONY Executive Editor Lerone Bennett Jr., said the event was part of a wider EBONY program to revive the whole Black family and was a logical extension of the company's widely praised Mother-Daughter luncheons. "Nobody," he said," respects Black women more than EBONY, and nobody celebrates Black women more than EBONY ... But it' you are interested in the whole Black family, and if you want to ensure the health and growth of new generations of Black males--and husbands---you have to realize, as so many Black men and women have told us, that it's time for somebody to celebrate Black fathers and sons, who have created, with Black mothers and daughters, one of the greatest traditions of service and excellence in American history."

The climax of the day was a tribute to nine pioneering Black fathers whose sons have followed in their footsteps. In a novel and moving departure, the fathers were introduced and presented by their son (or sons). Almost Without exception, sons--and fathers--said the fathers excelled in imparting three key ingredients--responsibility, accountability, and love.

The honorees were:

EARL G. GRAVES SR., CEO of Earl Graves Ltd., parent corporation of the Earl G. Graves Publishing Company, publisher of Black Enterprise magazine.

HAROLD (HAL) B. JACKSON, radio pioneer and group chairman of Inner City Broadcasting Corporation.

WARREN G. JACKSON, founder and chairman of Circulation Experti Ltd., a public relations and advertising firm.

EDDIE LEVERT SR., superstar singer and co-star with his son, Gerald, of new album, Father and Son.

DR. WALTER E. MASSEY, president of Morehouse College, the largest and most comprehensive institution of higher learning for men.

THE REV. DR. CHARLES L. NORRIS SR., pastor of Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church, in Jamaica, N.Y.

THE HONORABLE PERCY E. SUTTON, former Manhattan Borough President and founder and chairman emeritus of Inner City Broadcasting Corporation.

CONGRESSMAN EDOLPHUS (ED) TOWNS, a nine-term New York representative.

DR. WALTER J. TURNBULL, director of the Boys Choir of Harlem.

Honorees and major participants included Warren G. Jackson, CEO of Circulation Experti Ltd.; Percy E. Sutton, founder and chairman-emeritus of Inner City Broadcasting; Black Enterprise Publisher Earl G. Graves Sr.; Morehouse College President Walter E. Massey; and Harlem Boys Choir director Walter J. Turnbull; and Harold (Hal) B. Jackson, group chairman of Inner City Broadcasting; Singer Eddie Levert Sr., EBONY Executive Editor Lerone Bennett Jr.; Phyllis Woolley, director of African American marketing, Colgate-Palmolive; the Rev. Dr. Charles L. Norris Sr.; Jeff Burns Jr., senior vice president, Johnson Publishing Company; and Congressman Edolphus Towns.

Corporate sponsor, Colgate-Palmolive, was represented by Phyllis Woolley, who congratulated honoree Percy E. Sutton

Climax of all-day program was luncheon honoring outstanding fathers and featuring keynote speaker Lerone Bennett Jr., coordinator Jeff Burns Jr., Dr. Howard Dodson, chief of Schomburg Center, who was the master of ceremonies; and Eddie Levert Sr. and Gerald Levert singing "The Wind Beneath My Wings." Additional entertainment was provided by the Lewis Barnes Trio and the invocation was given by the Rev. Jerry Mosby.

Sons of Graves family brought their sons to the tribute for Black Enterprise Publisher Earl G. Graves Sr. Award was presented by Earl (Butch) Graves Jr., president and COO, Black Enterprise magazine; John C, Graves, president, Black Enterprise Unlimited; Michael Graves, senior vice president, Pepsi-Cola Company, with the support of Earl Graves Jr.'s sons, Earl G. Graves III and Theodore D. Graves, and John Graves' son, Carter L. Graves. Radio pioneer Harold B. (Hal) Jackson, group chairman of Inner City Broadcasting Corp., was saluted by WBLS radio personality Doug Banks. Warren G. Jackson, founder and chairman of Circulation Experti, was presented by his sons, W. Garrison Jackson, president, Circulation Experti, and Terrance V. Jackson, vice president, Circulation Experti. The Rev. Dr. Calvin Butts, pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church and a Morehouse alumnus, presented award to Morehouse College President Walter E. Massey. Gerald Levert and Sean Levert made it a family affair in presenting award to patriarch Eddie Levert Sr.