See you in 2025 for Arlington's biggest civil rights & social justice event of the year!
Passing the Baton: a celebration of youth, culture & community
77th Annual NAACP Arlington Branch Freedom Fund Banquet
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Dr. Gregory Washington
President, George Mason University
2024 Keynote Speaker
George Mason University President Gregory Washington leads Virginia's largest and most diverse public university, a top-tier research institution that has rapidly emerged as a leader in innovation, entrepreneurship and social mobility.
Under Dr. Washington’s leadership, Mason in fall 2023 became the first four-year public university in Virginia to enroll more than 40,000 students. Mason also continues to grow in stature. The Wall Street Journal (#33) and Forbes (#40) rank Mason among the best public universities in the country. In 2023, Mason was named Virginia’s top public university for social mobility by U.S. News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal and Washington Monthly, and the New York Times ranks Mason as Virginia’s top public university for economic diversity.
Since launching his Mason presidency in July 2020, Dr. Washington has created new academic and entrepreneurial pathways, opened or broken ground on academic facilities on all three Virginia campuses across the university’s 848 acres, and presided over the highest research expenditures and philanthropy in Mason history.
Dr. Washington earned three mechanical engineering degrees at North Carolina State University and is the former engineering dean at Ohio State University (interim) and the University of California, Irvine. The New York City native was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2023.
Sponsorships
Supporting the work of NAACP Arlington Branch!
2024 NAACP Arlington Branch Awards
More details about these awards and the people who inspired them
Award Descriptions
Willard W. "Woody" Brittain Community Appreciation Award
Center for Youth and Family Advocacy (CYFA) & CEO and Co-Founder, Devanshi Patel
(individual or group/organization)
Honoring Mr. Willard Woodson “Woody” Brittain for his many contributions to the corporate worlds and the Arlington community. This award is given to an Arlington individual, group, or organization that, through their action/service, have contributed many hours of their time towards the betterment of Arlington County and its residents.
Esther Georgia Irving Cooper Civil Rights Activist of the Year Award
Joan Trumpauer Mulholland
(individual or group/organization)
Honoring Esther Georgia Irving Cooper, co-founder of NAACP Arlington Branch. She worked to improve educational opportunities for Black children in Arlington, and led our local and state NAACPs in challenging inequalities in the county’s high school facilities. In 1940 she organized and became the first president of the NAACP Arlington Branch and soon joined NAACP Virginia’s executive board. This award is given to an individual, group, or organization actively involved in advocating for various civil rights causes.
Henry L. Holmes Meritorious Service Award
Craig Syphax
(individual or group/organization)
Honoring Henry L. Holmes, the first African-American elected official in Arlington. A prominent local civic leader, he served as the Commissioner of Revenue for 27 years. After emancipation, he moved to Freedman's Village and gained political and community success. Among other accomplishments, he founded St. John’s Baptist Church and the Butler-Holmes community (now Penrose). This is awarded to an individual, group, or organization that has supported the Branch, the Annual Freedom Fund Banquet, or the Arlington community for over two years.
Charles P. Monroe Civil Rights Award
Hilary Chapman & the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG)
(individual or group/organization)
Honoring the former County Board Chairman, Charles P. Monroe. He was a community advocate for increased public participation in County government, with a focus on affordable housing and other issues affecting the financially disadvantaged. This award is granted to an individual, group, or organization that has advocated for the civil rights of those living in Arlington County.
NAACP Arlington Branch President's Award
Nadia Conyers
(individual or group/organization)
This distinguished honor is given to an individual or group/organization that is “actively challenging others to embrace diversity and ensure greater opportunity for all people.” Granted at the discretion of the Branch President.
NAACP Arlington Branch Scholarship
(individual)
This one time scholarship is awarded annually to students who have demonstrated academic merit and success and are residents of Arlington County, provide community service in Arlington, and/or attend religious services in Arlington.
NAACP Arlington Branch & Amazon Future Leaders Scholarship
(individual)
This program was founded in 2021 through a partnership with a generous donation from Amazon HQ2. This renewable scholarship supports promising Arlington students in furthering their higher educational goals.
Willard Woodson Brittain, Jr. Scholarship Award
(individual)
The Willard Woodson “Woody” Brittain Foundation provides scholarships for students who are actively involved in the Arlington community. This scholarship is renewable for the three consecutive years following the original award, subject to academic performance and available funding.
Freedom Fund Banquet Purpose
The NAACP Arlington Branch Freedom Fund Banquet is an annual fundraiser that supports programs that seek to improve the quality of life for all people through focusing on education, economic development, crime deterrent, and health and safety. Additionally, the event is an opportunity to promote the local Branch and its mission and to acknowledge the contributions of organizations and individuals who have benefitted from the legacy of those who came before us and are following in their tradition of “Giving Back to Their Community.” This is a time for recommitting the fundamental principles of the NAACP, while encouraging others to seize the mantle of leadership so that we can all stay the course.
Disclaimer
Contributions or gifts to this NAACP branch are not deductible as a charitable contribution for Federal Income tax purposes. However, organizations that purchase ads, sponsorships, or tickets for business purposes, may be able to deduct these expenses as a business expense.
NAACP Arlington Branch Vision
We envision an inclusive community rooted in liberation where all persons in Arlington can exercise their civil and human rights without discrimination.