The fight for civil rights isn’t a thing of the past. If we want to live in a just and equitable society, it’s a movement that will always need new voices and energy, said civil rights attorney Sherrilyn Ifill.
“Young people have qualities about them that even those of us who are seasoned in this work simply don’t have, because we’ve aged out of them,” said Ifill. “Young people are impatient, and movement requires impatience.”
The former NAACP Legal Defense Fund president was one of three recipients of this year’s Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum. The event, held Oct. 17 at the FedEx Arena in Memphis, Tennessee, also honored director Spike Lee and civil rights leader Xernona Clayton.
Watch interviews with the civil rights icons below.
Sherrilyn Ifill, Civil Rights Lawyer
Sherrilyn Ifill is a prominent American lawyer and civil rights advocate, having led the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and litigated a historic Supreme Court case about the Voting Rights Act. In the video above, she discusses her views on freedom, belonging and her commitment to justice.
Spike Lee, Oscar-Winning Director
Spike Lee is one of the most heralded and outspoken directors working today. He has tackled racial discrimination, gentrification and police brutality before there was a larger cultural consciousness around the inequities Black Americans face. In the video above, he emphasizes the importance of hard work and positive influences in achieving success and stresses the need for students to resist oppressive systems.
Xernona Clayton, Civil Rights Leader and Broadcast Pioneer
Xernona Clayton is a broadcast pioneer and civil rights leader who worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In the video above, she recounts her influence on a KKK leader’s resignation, her efforts to desegregate Atlanta hospitals and her launching of the Trumpet Awards to celebrate Black talent.
