SUBJ: 2009 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED
PEOPLE (NAACP) ROY WILKINS RENOWNED SERVICE AWARD WINNER
1. IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE THAT MR. KENNETH HUNTER,
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OFFICER OF THE COAST GUARD ACADEMY, HAS BEEN
SELECTED AS THE COAST GUARD RECIPIENT OF THE 2009 NAACP ROY WILKINS
RENOWNED SERVICE AWARD.  ROY WILKINS WAS AN AMERICAN SOCIAL
REFORMER AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER WHO SERVED CONTINUOUSLY AS THE
NAACP EXECUTIVE SECRETARY AND LATER AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM 1955
TO 1977.  AS TESTAMENT TO HIS LEGACY, THIS AWARD WAS ESTABLISHED IN
1980 TO RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS WHO EMBODIED THE SPIRIT OF EQUALITY
AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
2. MR. HUNTER DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF BY SERVING AS A FOUNDING MEMBER
OF HANDS AGAINST HATE OF SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT.  HE COORDINATED
AND MODERATED STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCY EXPERT PANEL DISCUSSIONS ON
HATE CRIMES AND BIAS INCIDENTS THAT WERE WIDELY ATTENDED BY
RESIDENTS OF VARIOUS RACES AND ETHNICITIES.  HE ALSO CREATED AN
ANNUAL AWARD TO CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN
CGA PROFESSOR, DR. WILLIAM DEHOMER WALLER, FIRST APPOINTED IN 1961.
ADDITIONALLY, MR. HUNTERS INFLUENCE AND DEDICATION TO DIVERSITY
AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE SEA SERVICES WAS THE DRIVING FORCE
BEHIND THE RECENT REACTIVATION OF THE NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER OF THE
NATIONAL NAVAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
3. MR. HUNTER WILL BE PRESENTED THE ROY WILKINS RENOWNED SERVICE
AWARD AT THE NAACP ANNUAL ARMED SERVICES AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
AWARDS DINNER IN NEW YORK CITY, NY ON 14 JULY 2009.
4. DETAILS REGARDING THE NAACP CENTENNIAL CONVENTION CAN BE FOUND
AT WWW.NAACP.ORG.
5. CDR P. KOFI ABOAGYE, ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CIVIL
RIGHTS, SENDS.
6. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.