Passing the Baton: a celebration of youth, culture & community
77th Annual NAACP Arlington Branch Freedom Fund Banquet
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Join us for Arlington's biggest civil rights & social justice event of the year!
NAACP Arlington Branch is excited to host Passing the Baton: A Celebration of Youth, Culture & Community, a vibrant evening event focused on empowering and celebrating our youth while honoring the legacy and wisdom of our elders. This event will serve as a dynamic bridge between generations, highlighting the importance of cultural continuity and the symbolic “passing of the baton” to the next generation.
There will not be tickets for sale at the door on the night of the banquet.
Become a ticketholder or sponsor
Dr. Gregory Washington
President, George Mason University
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.
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Parking & Directions
George Mason University - Mason Square (formerly Arlington Campus)
Van Metre Hall
(formerly Founders Hall)
3351 Fairfax Dr.
Arlington, VA 22201
Public Transportation
Metrorail stations (Virginia Square is closest), and Metrobus and ART bus
stops are within walking
distance of campus.
Parking
Paid parking is available in the Van Metre Hall garage. The garage entrance is in the alley behind the main building, via Founders Way North.
Enter the garage from Kirkwood Rd. in the middle of the block between Washington Blvd. and Fairfax Drs, across from St. Charles Church. VIP and Sponsor packages include parking validation.
Detailed Driving Directions
2024 NAACP Arlington Branch Awards
DEADLINE: Wednesday, October 16, 2024
More details about these awards and the people who inspired them
Award Descriptions
Willard W. "Woody" Brittain Community Appreciation Award
(individual or group/organization)
The Willard W. Brittain Community Appreciation Award was renamed in 2013 to honor Mr. Willard Woodson “Woody” Brittain for his many contributions to the corporate world and the Arlington community. This award is given to an individual who lives or works in Arlington, or a group/organization that has established/maintained a business within Arlington County and, through their actions and service, has contributed many hours of their time towards the betterment of Arlington County and its residents.
Charles P. Monroe Civil Rights Award
(individual or group/organization)
The Charles P. Monroe Civil Rights Award honors the former County Board Chairman, Charles P. Monroe. He was a community activist engaged in increasing public participation in County government and politics. He was also an advocate for affordable housing and other issues affecting the financially disadvantaged. This award is granted to an individual or group/organization that has advocated for the civil rights of those living in Arlington County.
Henry L. Holmes Meritorious Service Award
(individual or group/organization)
The Henry L. Holmes Meritorious Service Award was renamed in 2012 to honor Henry L. Holmes, the first African American elected official in Arlington. Mr. Holmes served as the Commissioner of Revenue for Arlington County from 1876 to 1903, 27 years without interruption. In addition, he was the first Worshipful Master of Arlington Lodge #58. This is awarded to an individual or group/organization that has supported the Branch, the Annual Freedom Fund Banquet, and the Arlington community for more than two years.
Esther Georgia Irving Cooper Civil Rights Activist of the Year Award
(individual or group/organization)
The Esther Georgia Irving Cooper Civil Rights Activist of the Year Award is named after the first president of NAACP Arlington Branch. A powerful advocate to improve educational opportunities for African American children in Virginia, her efforts led to Carter v. School Board of Arlington County (1950), in which the courts ruled that separate high schools constituted unlawful racial discrimination. As Branch president Cooper supported initiatives to abolish the poll tax and protested segregation on public transportation and in public facilities. She retired as president of the Branch in 1951 but remained active as president emerita. The nominee is one who aids in the development of legislation or implementation of civil rights policies to “secure the political, educational, social, or economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons” within the Arlington community.
NAACP Arlington Branch President's Award
(individual or group/organization)
The NAACP Arlington Branch President’s Award is a distinguished honor 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.
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.