Law Center News
Living Legends honored at 2016 Pillar Awards Ceremony
Fourteen individuals and one group were honored as Louisiana living legends who have made great strides in the areas of civil and human rights by the Southern University Law Center (SULC) Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) in the 2016 Pillar Awards Ceremony on Saturday, February 27.
More than 150 attended the black-tie event held in the SULC Atrium.
During the celebration, NLG president Ada Goodly and other presenters described how each of the honorees has dedicated his or her efforts and talents to improving the lives of others. She stated, “Because you did, we can.”
“We don’t just stand on your shoulders. We honor you as pillars because you gave us the foundation, as well as inspired and uplifted us to carry on this important work in the future.”
Awards went to the following recipients: Trailblazer Award, Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, Louisiana State Supreme Court; Sentinel Award, Deacons of Defense; Statesman Award, Sharon Weston Broome, former Louisiana State Senator; Gatekeeper Award, Rachel L. Emanuel, documentarian and SULC Director of Communications and Development Support; Jurist Award, Stanley A. Halpin, Jr., SULC Professor; Pedagogue Award, Russell L. Jones, ’82, SULC Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; Altruist Award, Malik Rahim, New Orleans community organizer, Common Ground Relief; and Griot Award, Keith Beauchamp, documentary filmmaker and founder of Till Freedom Comes Productions.
The 2016 Pillar Award recipients are Judge Janice G. Clark, ’76, 19th Judicial District Court; Ernest L. Johnson, ’76, Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP President; Johnnie A. Jones, Sr., ‘53, longtime civil rights attorney, now retired; John K. Pierre, SULC Interim Chancellor; Arthur R. Thomas, ’76, civil rights attorney; Alvin R. Washington, ’87, former president of the Baton Rouge Branch of the NAACP and SULC Clinical professor; and Robert C. Williams, ’67, retired long-time civil rights attorney.
Officers and members of the Southern University Law Center’s National Lawyers Guild, who conducted the 2016 Pillar Awards are from left: Raymond Wilkes, vice president; Ryan Thompson; Karen Moore; Ada Goodly, president; Genevieve Steel; Gilbert Bayonne; Qadraex J.White; and Rufus Williams. Other NLG presenters not pictured are Kyrus Adams, Walter Brown, Ariel Harris, D’Juan Mansfield, Krystal Williams, and Nicole Whigham.
Pictured from left: Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden, Ada Goodly, Pillar Award recipient Judge Janice G. Clark, Gilbert Bayonne, and Pillar Award recipient Arthur R. Thomas.
Seated from left: Pillar Award recipient Johnnie Jones, Etta K. Hearne, Pillar Award recipient Robert Williams, and Alfreda Tillman Bester; standing from left, Gayle Horne Ray, Judge Pamela Taylor-Johnson, and Pillar Award recipient Ernest L. Johnson.
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