Phoenix Award (Congressional Black Caucus Foundation)

The Phoenix Awards are conferred by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. This annual event recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to society while uplifting and empowering the global Black community.^[1] The Phoenix awards are the apex of the Annual Legislative Conference. It is also the primary fundraising event for the CBCF.^[2] They are streamed on BET and BET Her.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet audience members during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 44th Annual Legislative Conference Phoenix Awards Dinner at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014.

Awards

Specific awards given out as a part of the Phoenix Awards include:

• ALC Co-Chair’s Award (ALC Co-Chair's Phoenix Award): "exemplifies corporate leadership and social responsibility on a national level"^[3]
• Barbara Jordan Award
• CBC Chair’s Award (Congressional Black Caucus Chair's Phoenix Award): "presented each year to an individual who exhibits the highest standards of dedication, ability and creativity"^[3]
• CBC Co-Chair’s Award (Congressional Black Caucus Co-Chair’s Phoenix Award)
• CBC Body Award
• CBCF Chair's Award: "honors an individual whose work and accomplishments stand as a role model for the African-American community"^[3]
• Congressional Black Caucus Founder’s Award
• John Lewis Legacy Award
• Lifetime Achievement Award
• Trailblazer Award: "recognizes a leader who is the first, in his or her chosen field, to make a global or national groundbreaking achievement and whose vision, perseverance and lifework has created opportunities for African Americans and minorities."^[4]
• Millennium Award: only given out in 2000 ^[5]
• CBC Member's Awards:
  • George Collins Award: "presented to an individual whose community service exemplifies the dedication and work style of the late congressman George W. Collins."^[6][7]
  • William L. Dawson Award: "presented... to an individual who has made significant research, organizational, and leadership contributions in the development of legislation that addresses the needs of minorities in the United States"^[8][7]
  • Charles C. Diggs Award for foreign affairs^[5]
  • George Thomas “Mickey” Leland Award (Humanitarian Award): "presented to a person displaying exceptional compassion and great commitment to championing the causes of the poor, underprivileged and the oppressed."^[9][10]
  • Ralph Metcalf Award for Health: "presented to an individual or group that has excelled in providing extraordinary contributions to improve the health and wellbeing of African Americans"^[3]
  • Adam Clayton Powell Award: "for outstanding contributions to the political awareness and empowerment of African Americans"^[11]
  • Harold Washington Award (Harold Washington Phoenix Award): "presented to an individual who has contributed immeasurably to African American political awareness, empowerment and the advancement of minorities in the electoral process."^[11]
• Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Culture Icon Award^[12]
• Mission in Action Award^[13]
• Body Award^[13]

Winners

Year	Awardee	Award	Reference
1972	A. Philip Randolph	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[14]
1973	Clarence Mitchell Jr.	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[15]
1973	E. Z. Jackson	George Collins Award	[15]
1974	Dorothy Height	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1975	George L. Brown (politician)	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5]
1975	Kenneth Clark (doll test)	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1975	Mound Bayou Community Hospital	George Collins Award	[5]
1977	Richard G. Hatcher	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5]
1977	Leon Sullivan	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1978	Andrew Young	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5]
1978	Augustus Hawkins	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1978	Bishop Elisha P. Murchinson, Sr.; Dr. Joseph H. Jackson; Bishop Charles Golden; Rev. Thomas Kilgore; Rev. Dr. J. Oscar McCloud; Bishop Joseph O. Patterson; Dr. Joseph Evans; Bishop H. Thomas Primm; Dr. T.C. Sams; Bishop Herbert Bell Shaw; Right Rev. John T. Walker; Bishop Smallwood Williams	George Collins Award	[5]
1979	Kent B. Amos, Abraham S. Venable, LeBaron Taylor	CBC Chair's Award	[16]
1979	Edward Brooke	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[16]
1979	Parren Mitchell	William L. Dawson Award	[16]
1979	Sugar Ray Robinson	George Collins Award	[16]
1980	Charles Diggs	CBC Chair's Award	[5]
1980	H. Claude Hudson	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5]
1980	Louis Stokes	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1980	Sugar Ray Leonard	George Collins Award	[5]
1981	Jesse Jackson and Joseph Lowery	CBC Chair's Award	[5]
1981	Eddie Williams (activist)	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5]
1981	Robert McGlotten	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1981	Marva Collins	George Collins Award	[5]
1982	Coleman Young	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[17]
1982	Percy Sutton	Humanitarian Award	[17]
1982	Shirley Chisholm	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1982	J. Lamar Hill	George Collins Award	[17]
1983	Harold Washington	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5]
1983	Steve Pruitt	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1983	Julius Erving	George Collins Award	[5]
1984	Jesse Jackson	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[18]
1984	Lacy Clay	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1984	Tennessee Valley Center, Inc., Percy H. Harvey, Maxine Waters	George Collins Award	[5]
1985	Marion Barry, Bill Cosby, LeBaron Taylor	CBCF Chair's Award	[5]
1985	Harry Belafonte, Bob Geldof, Ted Koppell	CBC Chair's Award	[5]
1985	Gilbert W. Lindsay	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5]
1985	Travers H.J. Bell	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1985	Marion "Rex" Harris	George Collins Award	[5]
1986	Parren Mitchell	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5][19]
1986	Charles Rangel	William L. Dawson Award	[5][19]
1986	Dorothy Height	George Collins Award	[5][19]
1987	Douglas Wilder	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[20]
1987	Adelaide Sanford	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[20]
1987	Marian Wright Edelman	William L. Dawson Award	[20]
1987	Milton Carroll	George Collins Award	[20]
1988	David Dinkins	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[21]
1988	Jesse Jackson	Harold Washington Award	[21]
1988	Arthur Hill	William L. Dawson Award	[21]
1988	Doug Williams (quarterback)	George Collins Award	[21]
1989	William Gray	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5]
1989	Ron Brown	Harold Washington Award	[5]
1989	Augustus Hawkins	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1989	John Thompson (basketball)	George Collins Award	[5]
1990	Fannie Lou Hamer, Kent Amost, Christopher Edley, Sr., Chief Bashorun, Moshood Abiola, Naythaniel Everett	CBCF Chair's Award	[5]
1990	Willie Brown (politician)	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5]
1990	Douglas Wilder	Harold Washington Award	[5]
1990	Cardiss Collins	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
1990	Clara Hale	George Collins Award	[5]
1991	Dan Blue	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[22]
1991	Sharon Pratt Dixon	Harold Washington Award	[22]
1991	Henry Kirksey	William L. Dawson Award	[22]
1991	Bill Cosby and Camille Cosby	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[22]
1991	Christopher Edley Sr.	George Collins Award	[22]
1991	Thurgood Marshall	CBC Lifetime Achievement Award	[23]
1992	Benjamin Hooks	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5][24][25]
1992	Jackie Joyner-Kersee	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[5][24][25]
1992	Lane Kirkland	Harold Washington	[5][24][25]
1992	Mary Hatwood Futrell	William L. Dawson Award	[5][24][25]
1992	Magic Johnson	George Collins Award	[5][24][25]
1992	Benjamin O. Davis Jr.	CBC Lifetime Achievement Award	[24][25]
1993	Bill Clay	CBCF Chair's Award	[7]
1993	Lani Guinier and Arsenio Hall	CBC Chair's Award	[7]
1993	Maxine Waters	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[7]
1993	Arthur Ashe	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[7]
1993	Leon Sullivan	Harold Washington Award	[7]
1993	Benjamin Chavis	William L. Dawson Award	[7]
1993	Dick Gregory	George Collins Award	[7]
1993	Berry Gordy	CBC Lifetime Achievement Award	[7]
1995	Muhammad Ali	Harold Washington Award	[26]
1995	Colin Powell	George "Mickey" Leland Award	[5]
1996	Toni Fay and Ingrid Saunders Jones	CBCF Chair's Award	[27]
1996	Mary Frances Berry	CBC Chair's Award	[27]
1996	John Conyers	Adam Clayton Award	[27]
1996	Donald Payne Jr.	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[27]
1996	Andrew Young	Harold Washington Award	[27]
1996	Wade Henderson	William L. Dawson Award	[27]
1996	Elaine Jones	George Collins Award	[27]
1997	William Brooks	CBCF Chair's Award	[28]
1997	Myrlie Evers-Williams, Coretta Scott King, Betty Shabazz	CBC Chair's Award	[28]
1997	John Hope Franklin	ALC Chairs' Award	[28]
1997	Major Owens	Adam Clayton Powel Award	[28]
1997	Eva Clayton	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[28]
1997	Jason Charles	Youth Community Service Award	[28]
1997	William Lucy (labor leader)	Harold Washington Award	[28]
1997	Laura Murphy	William L. Dawson Award	[28]
1997	Danny Bakewell	George Collins Award	[28]
1998	Daniel Godfrey and Alice Balance	CBCF Chair's Award	[29]
1998	Franklin Raines	ALC Chairs' Award	[29]
1998	Charles Diggs	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[29]
1998	Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[29]
1998	Bobby Rush	Harold Washington Award	[29]
1998	Alexis Herman	William L. Dawson Award	[29]
1998	Rodney E. Slater	George Collins Award	[29]
1999	Alvin Brown	CBC Chair's Award	[30]
1999	Julius L. Chambers	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[30]
1999	Tom Joyner	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[30]
1999	Evelyn J. Fields	Ralph Metcalfe Award	[30][31]
2000	LeBaron Taylor	CBCF Chair's Award	[32]
2000	William Kennard	CBC Chair's Award	[5]
2000	Nelson Mandela	Millennium Award	[5]
2000	Arthur Eve	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5]
2000	Rodney Carroll	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[5]
2000	Tavis Smiley and Tom Joyner	Harold Washington Award	[5][32]
2000	Kenneth Hill	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
2001	Noah Samara	CBCF Chair's Award	[5]
2001	Bill Clinton	CBC Chair's Award	[5]
2001	Robert G. Clark	ALC Chairs' Award	[5]
2001	Mel Foote	Diggs Award	[5]
2001	David Satcher	Ralph Metcalfe Award	[5]
2001	H. Carl McCall	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
2002	Kenneth Chenault; Richard Parsons (businessman)	CBCF Chair's Award	[33]
2002	Emmitt Smith	CBC Chair's Award	[33]
2002	Festus Mogae	ALC Chairs' Award	[33]
2002	Julian Dixon	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[5]
2002	Carrie Meek	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[5]
2002	Donna Brazile	Harold Washington Award	[5]
2002	H. Carl McCall	William L. Dawson Award	[5]
2003	Robert Johnson	CBCF Chair's Award	[5][34]
2003	Jim Clyburn	CBC Chair's Award	[5][34]
2003	Hugh Price	William L. Dawson Award	[5][34]
2003	Ben Carson	Ralph Metcalfe Award	[5][34]
2003	Charles Rangel	Lifetime Distinguished Service Award	[5][34]
2003	John Conyers	Lifetime Distinguished Service Award	[5][34]
2003	Eddie Bernice Johnson	Barbara Jordan Award	[5]
2003	Marian Wright Edelman	ALC Chairs' Award	[5]
2004	Ruth Simmons	CBCF Chair's Award	[5][35]
2004	H. Patrick Swygert	CBC Chair's Award	[5][35]
2004	Danny H. Cameron	ALC Chairs' Award	[5][35]
2004	Tommy W. Dortch, Jr.	ALC Chairs' Award	[5][35]
2005	John H. Johnson	ALC Chairs' Award	[36]
2005	Debra L. Lee	CBC Chair's Award	[36]
2005	P. J. Patterson	Charles Diggs	[36]
2005	Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke	Barbara Jordan Award	[36]
2005	Hurricane Katrina Heroes	Katrina Heroes Award	[36]
2006	Charles Ogletree	CBCF Chair's Award	[8]
2006	Johnnetta Cole	CBC Chair's Award	[8]
2006	Kwame Kilpatrick	ALC Co-Chair's Award	[8]
2006	Ron Dellums	ALC Co-Chair's Award	[8]
2006	Roscoe C. Brown Jr.	William L. Dawson Award	[8]
2006	Kim Bondy	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[10]
2007	William H. Gray III	CBCF Chair's Award	[5]
2007	Anna Diggs Taylor	CBC Chair's Award	[5]
2007	Jim Clyburn	ALC Co-Chair's Award	[5]
2007	Kofi Annan	Members' Award	[5]
2007	Rutgers Scarlet Knights	Members' Award	[5]
2008	Kerry Washington	CBCF Chair's Award	[5]
2008	Eleanor Josaitis	CBC Chair's Award	[5]
2008	Deval Patrick	ALC Co-Chair's Award	[5]
2008	David Paterson	ALC Co-Chair's Award	[5]
2008	Karen Bass	CBC Members' Award	[5]
2008	Barack Obama	CBC Members' Award	[37]
2009	Calvin Smyre	CBCF Chair’s Award	[5][37]
2009	Danny Glover	CBC Chair's Award	[5][37]
2009	Cicely Tyson	ALC Co-Chairs' Award	[5][37]
2009	Sheryl Lee Ralph	ALC Co-Chairs' Award	[5][37]
2009	Susan Rice	Charles C. Diggs Award	[5][37]
2009	Ted Kennedy	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[5][37]
2009	Wyclef Jean	George Collins Award	[5][37]
2010	Sheila Oliver	CBCF Chair’s Award	[5][38]
2010	Judith Jamison	CBC Chair's Award	[5][38]
2010	Simeon Booker	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[5][38]
2010	Harry Belafonte	George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award	[5][38]
2011	John Lewis	CBCF Chair’s Award	[5][39]
2011	Lisa P. Jackson	CBC Chair's Award	[5][39]
2011	George Foreman	ALC Co-Chairs' Award	[5][39]
2011	Joseph Lowery	Members' Award	[5][39]
2012	Eric Holder	CBCF Chair’s Award	[40]
2012	George Lucas for Red Tails	CBC Chair's Award	[40]
2012	Harvey Gantt	Harold Washington Award	[40]
2012	Corrine Brown	Harold Washington Award	[40]
2013	Bill Clinton	CBCF Chair’s Award	[5][41]
2013	Elaine Jones	CBC Chair’s Award	[5][41]
2013	"The Spirit of 1963"	ALC Co-Chairs' Award	[5][41]
2013	Elijah Cummings	Harold Washington Award	[5][41]
2014	Cathy Hughes	Congressional Black Caucus Chair’s Award	[3]
2014	Muhammad Ali	Ralph Metcalf Award for Health	[3]
2014	Susan L. Taylor	ALC Co-Chair’s Phoenix Award	[3]
2014	Wade Henderson	CBC Chair’s Award	[3]
2014	Dr. Robert Wright	ALC Co-Chair’s Phoenix Award	[3]
2015	William Barber II	CBC Chair’s Award	[42]
2015	Fred Gray (attorney)	ALC Co-Chair’s Award	[42]
2015	Juanita Abernathy	George Thomas “Mickey” Leland Award	[42]
2015	Amelia Boynton Robinson	Harold Washington Award	[42]
2015	Alpha Phi Alpha	CBCF Chair’s Award	[42]
2016	Hillary Clinton	Trailblazer Award	[4]
2016	Charles Rangel	Congressional Black Caucus Founder’s Award	[4]
2016	Marcia Fudge	Barbara Jordan Award	[4]
2016	Robert F. Smith (investor)	CBCF Chair’s Award	[4]
2016	Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in honor of the Emanuel Nine	CBC Chair’s Award	[4]
2017	Ruby Bridges	Congressional Black Caucus Chair's Phoenix Award	[2]
2017	Thomas Freeman (debate coach)	Congressional Black Caucus Chair's Phoenix Award	[2]
2017	Ron Kirk	Congressional Black Caucus Co-Chair's Phoenix Award	[2]
2017	Tamika Mallory	Congressional Black Caucus Co-Chair's Phoenix Award	[2]
2017	Bennie Thompson	Harold Washington Phoenix Award	[2]
2018	Jesse Jackson and Jacqueline Brown	CBCF Chair & Lifetime Achievement Award	[43]
2018	Tommie Smith and John Carlos	CBC Chair’s Award	[5]
2018	Lee Porter	ALC Co-Chairs' Award	[44]
2018	Bryan Stevenson	ALC Co-Chairs' Award	[44]
2018	Stacey Abrams	Adam Clayton Powell Award	[44]
2018	Aretha Franklin	John Lewis Legacy Award	[44]
2019	Calvin Mackie	CBCF Chair’s Award	[11]
2019	Wanda Austin	CBC Chair’s Phoenix Award	[11]
2019	The Exonerated Five	ALC Co-Chair’s Phoenix Award	[11]
2019	Barbara Lee	ALC Co-Chair’s Phoenix Award	[11]
2019	Al Sharpton	Harold Washington Award	[11]
2020	Lonnie Bunch	Phoenix Award	[45]
2020	William "Larry" Lucas	Phoenix Award	[45]
2020	Eddie Bernice Johnson	Phoenix Award	[45]
2020	Benjamin Crump	Phoenix Award	[45]
2020	Joe Biden	Phoenix Award	[45]
2021	Stacey Abrams	CBC Body Awardee	[46]
2021	Lloyd Austin	Co-Chair's Award	[46]
2021	Dr. Joan Coker	Co-Chair's Award	[46]
2021	Marcia Fudge	CBC Chair’s Award	[46]
2021	Cedric Richmond	CBCF Chair’s Award	[46]
2022	Michael Eric Dyson	CBC Chair’s Phoenix Award	[1]
2022	Lisa D. Cook	CBCF Chair’s Award	[1]
2022	Opal Lee	CBC Body Award	[1]
2022	Bennie Thompson	Democracy Trailblazer Award	[1]
2022	Ruth E. Carter	Honorary Co-Chairs Award	[1]
2023	Karine Jean-Pierre	Honorary Co-Chairs Award	[12]
2023	Karen Bass	CBCF Chair’s Award	[12]
2023	Hakeem Jeffries	CBC Body Award	[12]
2023	Justin Jones (Tennessee politician)	CBC Chair’s Phoenix Award	[12]
2023	MC Lyte and LL Cool J	CBCF's Culture Icon Award	[12]
2024	Joe Biden	Lifetime Achievement Award	[13]
2024	Wes Moore	CBC's Annual Legislative Conference Honorary Co-Chairs’ Award	[13]
2024	Sheila Jackson Lee	CBC's Body Award	[13]
2024	Carla Hayden	CBCF Chair’s Award	[13]
2024	Jaime Harrison	Mission In Action Award	[13]