BLACK ENTERPRISE to honor Rep. John Lewis and other iconic black men
BLACK ENTERPRISE will host its inaugural Black Men XCEL Summit — developed to celebrate their many contributions and achievements — August 30 through September 3, at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
The crown jewel of Black Men XCEL, The XCEL Awards: An Extraordinary Celebration of Excellence and Leadership, will recognize iconic black men in every field of endeavor — from corporate America, to the entertainment industry, science and technology, athletics and sports, the education sector, and beyond. The XCEL Awards Dinner will kick off several days of activities including golf, tennis, luxurious spa amenities, live music and comedy to create the ultimate end-of-summer getaway experience.
United States Rep. John Lewis, who will receive the Earl G. Graves Award, is among the honorees to be recognized at the 2017 Black Men XCEL Awards Dinner hosted by AT&T.
Often called “one of the most courageous persons the civil rights movement ever produced,” Congressman John Lewis (D-Ga.) has dedicated his life to protecting human rights, securing civil liberties, and building what he calls “The Beloved Community” in America. The youngest of the “Big Six” leaders of the civil rights movement at the age of 23, he was an architect of and a keynote speaker at the historic March on Washington. Lewis will receive the inaugural Earl G. Graves Award, named for BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine Founder and Publisher Earl G. Graves Sr.
Other honorees include actor, comedian, writer and director Robert Townsend; Lonnie G. Bunch III, founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture; and John W. Rogers Jr., Ariel Investments founder and CEO.
“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to pay well-deserved honor to men who are gifts to the world,” said BLACK ENTERPRISE President and CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. “Their examples are proper tribute and powerful motivation to the XCEL Award honorees to come.”
In addition to the XCEL Awards, Black Men XCEL will also recognize those featured as men of distinction by the BE Modern Man digital campaign launched by BlackEnterprise.com in 2015. In addition to celebrating all of the BE Modern Men in attendance, the first ever BE Modern Man of the Year Award will be presented to Shawn Dove, CEO of the Campaign for Black Male Achievement and a member of the 2016 cohort of 100 BE Modern Men of Distinction.
Black Men XCEL will host more than 700 men and women attendees who will engage in development sessions and activities designed to train, equip, and encourage leadership.
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