Memphis, TN, Sept. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The National Civil Rights Museum today announced the distinguished honorees for the 35th Freedom Award, recognizing their extraordinary contributions to civil and human rights. The announcement comes in a milestone year: 2026 marks the Museum’s own 35th anniversary.
The 2026 Freedom Award honorees are:
FRED D. GRAY – One of the most consequential civil rights attorneys in American history, Fred D. Gray has practiced law for more than 70 years. In 1955, he represented Claudette Colvin and then Rosa Parks in the case that sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, becoming Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s first civil rights attorney. Gray went on to argue landmark cases including Browder v. Gayle, which ended bus segregation in Montgomery; Gomillion v. Lightfoot, a foundational voting-rights case before the U.S. Supreme Court; and Williams v. Wallace, which won federal protection for the Selma-to-Montgomery marchers. A former Alabama state legislator and past president of both the National Bar Association and the Alabama State Bar, Gray was instrumental in establishing the Tuskegee Human and Civil Rights Multicultural Center. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022 and continues to practice law today in Montgomery and Tuskegee, Alabama.
SHAVON ARLINE-BRADLEY – The Reverend Shavon Arline-Bradley is President and CEO of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), the first person to hold that title in the organization’s history, leading its three-million-member network since March 2023. Under her leadership, NCNW launched the Bethune-Height Changemakers Pathways, a signature program connecting collegiate Black women to mentorship and career opportunities, and grew to more than 100 active campus chapters nationwide. Arline-Bradley has delivered the keynote sermon at the Washington National Cathedral’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemoration and was the youngest person ever to keynote the MLK Beloved Community Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. An ordained minister with degrees from Tulane University and Virginia Union University, she holds two honorary doctorates and was named one of the Washington Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business.”
BAKARI SELLERS – Attorney, author, and political commentator Bakari Sellers has spent two decades working at the intersection of law, media, and public service. In 2006, at age 22, he became the youngest African American elected official in the nation when he won a seat in the South Carolina State Legislature, and in 2014 he was the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina. A New York Times bestselling author of My Vanishing Country: A Memoir and host of the Bakari Sellers Podcast, Sellers practices law with the Strom Law Firm and has been named to TIME’s “40 Under 40” and The Root 100. He carries forward a family legacy of activism rooted in the work of his father, civil rights leader Cleveland Sellers.
NNEKA OGWUMIKE – A WNBA champion and longtime President of the WNBA Players Association, Nneka Ogwumike has used her platform to advance the rights of women and girls well beyond the court. As President of the WNBA Players Association, she most recently led the players through a collective bargaining agreement that resulted in dramatic increases in compensation and support for players. Since starring at Stanford and being the #1 pick in the 2012 draft, she has been named one of the league’s all-time top 25 players.
In 2024, she stepped into leadership of More Than a Vote, the voting rights organization founded by LeBron James, recruiting fellow athletes to the cause and expanding its mission to protect women’s reproductive rights. She also mentors with the WNBA Changemakers Collective and VOICEINSPORT, working to keep girls in sport and develop the next generation of diverse leaders on and off the court. Ogwumike was named one of the 20 most admired leaders in sports in 2025, recognized for pairing elite performance with rare labor leadership and long-horizon institutional thinking. In August, Nneka announced she will retire.
Returning to the podium as ceremony host is acclaimed actor and producer Larenz Tate, who hosted last year’s celebration and returns fresh off his portrayal of Motown founder Berry Gordy in the blockbuster Michael Jackson biopic Michael. This year’s ceremony will also feature a special performance by Grammy Award-winning gospel singer and actress Tamela Mann, celebrated for chart-topping hits including “Take Me to the King” and “God Provides,” as well as her role as Cora Simmons across Tyler Perry’s Madea film and television projects.
The 35th Freedom Award ceremony will be held Thursday, October 1, 2026, at the historic Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Memphis. The evening begins with the Red Carpet Pre-Show Gala at the adjacent Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education.
The celebration extends beyond the evening program with the Freedom Award Student Forum, which opens Freedom Award week by connecting young people directly with civil and human rights leaders. This year’s Student Forum welcomes area students in person and expands its reach nationally through a live-streamed presentation open to student groups in grades 5–12. The Keeper of the Dream Award will also be presented during the Student Forum, honoring students who exemplify courage, compassion, leadership, and service.
The Presenting Sponsor is FedEx; Signature Sponsors are Hyde Family Foundation and Nike; and Student Forum Sponsors are FedEx and Ford Philanthropy.
Tickets for the evening Freedom Award ceremony and Red Carpet Pre-Show, along with the morning Student Forum registration and sponsorship opportunities, are available now.
Since 1991, the Freedom Award has recognized distinguished individuals for their contributions to civil and human rights. Past recipients include President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Congressman John Lewis, Coretta Scott King, and the Dalai Lama. The Freedom Award’s reach now extends globally, uniting leaders across generations and disciplines under one vision: advancing justice and humanity. For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and Student Forum registration, visit FreedomAward.org.
About the National Civil Rights Museum
The NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991 — now marking 35 years — millions of visitors from around the world have come annually. The Museum is steadfast in its mission to honor and preserve the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. It chronicles the American civil rights movement and tells the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights, serving as a catalyst to inspire action to create positive social change. A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and libraries.
Connie Dyson National Civil Rights Museum 901-527-1225 cdyson@civilrightsmuseum.org
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