The 2007 NVLP Wisdom Awards and
Intergenerational Summit on the State of Black America
Presented by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress and the National Visionary Leadership Project
October 16, 2007
The Intergenerational Summit on the State of Black America was a one-day annual event held October 16, 2007 at the Library of Congress (LOC). The Summit engages an audience of college and high school students in a problem-solving discussion with a panel comprised of six nationally-known Visionary elders and two college students--participants in NVLP’s Visionary Heritage Fellows Program. Together they develop solutions to contemporary issues in the African American community. The event, which included a brief awards ceremony, has been held annually in partnership with the Library of Congress American Folklife Center and is videotaped for educational distribution.
This is the organization’s fourth Summit, presented in partnership with the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress (LOC) in Washington, DC. The event also included a special ceremony to commemorate the historic transfer of NVLP’s priceless master video tapes and transcripts to the LOC so that they will be permanently housed as the National Visionary Leadership Project Collection of African American Oral Histories.
This year’s honorees are:
  Drawn by Ann Gill of J.C. Nalle Elementary Plaintiff in the landmark case to restore the rights and status of African American Cherokees (a.k.a. Cherokee Freedmen) who were expelled from the Cherokee nation |
  Drawn by Ronnie Wallace of J.C. Nalle Elementary Civil rights lawyer, author, and first African American professor tenured at Harvard Law School |
  Drawn by Ronnie Wallace of J.C. Nalle Elementary Second-longest-serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D-MI), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus |
  Drawn by Alphonso Sullivan of J.C. Nalle Elementary University President, Xavier University and Chairman of the Louisiana Recovery Authority |
  Drawn by William Hamm of J.C. Nalle Elementary First woman elected Bishop in the worldwide Anglican communion (Episcopal Church) |
  Drawn by Ann Gill of J.C. Nalle Elementary Award-winning artist, painter, children’s book author and social activist |
As part of the ceremony, the following students from J.C. Nalle Elementary School in Washington, DC assisted in the presentation of awards: Amari Carter, Guy Cummings, Ann Gill, William Hamm, Ronnita Howerton-Hull, and Alphonso Sullivan.
In conjunction with the Summit, NVLP held a very successful essay contest with six Washington, DC-area high schools. Using NVLP’s website and their own research, the students wrote brief essays describing why their Visionary was a role model. The first-place winners from each school received cash awards, got to have lunch with their respective honoree and read their introductory essays during the award ceremony, which was videotaped for educational broadcasts.
Congratulations to all of the 2007 NVLP Essay Contest Finalists:
CD Hylton Senior High School (VA)
First Place – Sofia Ahmad -- Introduced Lucy Allen
Second Place - Jasmine R. Johnson
Third Place - Ashley Pierce
South Lakes High School (VA)
First Place – Brandon Christopher -- Introduced Derrick A. Bell, Jr.
Second Place - Linden Abston
Third Place – Aaron Clark
Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DC)
First Place - Evan Odoms -- Introduced John Conyers, Jr.
Second Place - Reginald A. Williams
Third Place - Meredith Wyscarver
McKinley Technology High School (DC)
First Place - Melanie Kates – Introduced Norman C. Francis
Second Place - Faith Ajayi
Third Place - Dionte McFadden
Suitland High School (MD)
First Place - Stephanée Martin -- Introduced Faith Ringgold
Second Place - Johnetta Queen
Third Place - Jerome Addison
Woodrow Wilson Senior High School (DC)
First Place - Aide Peralta -- Introduced Barbara C. Harris
Second Place - Anthony Ortiz
Third Place - Bridget Espana
"This year’s Summit was special because it also included a ceremonial transfer of the NVLP master videotapes to the LOC. The ceremony included Visionaries in attendance who are part of the first installment of 50 interviews to the collection: John Hope Franklin, Dorothy I. Height, Charlotte W. Holloman, and Willieboyd McNeil Saddler. The collection, to be permanently archived at the LOC, has become the official repository for the master tapes, transcripts and photos from more than 200 of NVLP’s priceless interviews.
After the awards were presented, the honorees were joined on stage by Visionary Heritage Fellows Élan E. S. Moore and Jeffrey McLeod for a lively panel discussion that included questions from the audience, comprised mainly of high school and college students New groups of participants this year included the Washington Metro Scholars (based in Washington, DC) and the Schomburg Center Junior Scholars Program (based in New York City.)
NVLP is particularly grateful to the Freddie Mac Foundation for their generous support of the 2007 Summit. We’d like to also thank Old Dominion Chapter, The Links, Incorporated and the Eastern Area, The Links, Incorporated for their support of the NVLP High School Essay Contest.
The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress (LOC) was created by the American Folklife Preservation Act, passed by Congress in 1976, to “preserve and present American folklife” through programs of research, documentation, archival preservation, reference service, live performance, exhibition, publication and training. The LOC supports NVLP by providing archival guidance and archiving the original recordings so that they can be preserved and made accessible at the Library of Congress for generations to come.