Congressman John Conyers to Receive 92nd Spingarn Award

Crisis, The, Jul/Aug 2007 by Howell, Arnesa A

But Conyers has never been one to base his life's journey on what others think. It's a philosophy that has served him well, from freshman congressman to head of the House Judiciary Committee. "My color has never really held me back," he says rather matter-of-factly.

So in preparing to accept the NAACP's highest honor, Conyers will be following in the footsteps of his role model King: "There are a lot of people who I intellectually admire, but Martin King stands shoulders above all the rest. I've looked to Martin King - his readings and writings - for guidance across my career."

- Arnesa A. Howell