Trumpet Awards, Syndicated, To Air on TV One

Samuel L. Jackson and his wife, actress LaTonya Richardson hosted the 16th annual Trumpet Awards which aired in syndication in March and will air on TV One Sunday April 13 at 8 p.m. EST. The Trumpet Awards is often referred to as “the Oscars for Black America”. More than 20 of the best and brightest achievers in the Black community were honored during the show which was taped at the Atlanta Civic Center.

Among the honored were Halle Berry (Entertainment & Pinnacle Awards); Danny Glover (Humanitarian); Najee (Arts); and Ludacris (Usher Ramond Altruism Award). Black achievement was saluted in every field including law, business, medicine, politics and public service. “The audience basked in the success stories of some very great African-Americans,” said Xernona Clayton, the founder of the Trumpet Awards and president and CEO of Trumpet Awards Foundation. “This year’s television program was syndicated for the first time and broadcast around the country, in addition, to being aired in 177 countries around the world.”

Other 2008 Trumpet Award honorees were: Sheila C. Johnson (Entrepreneur); Shareef Abdul-Rahim (Community Service); Dr. T. B. Boyd III (Business); the Honorable Judge Paul L. Brady (Legal); Brian O. Jordan (Athlete/Developer); twin brothers Dr. Vance and Dr. Vincent Moss (Medicine) and Don Thompson (Corporate Executive). This year’s Tower of Power honorees were Georgians and included Thurbert Baker, Georgia Attorney General and president of the National Association of Attorneys General; Representative Sanford Bishop Jr; Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard Jr; Representative Hank Johnson; Khalil Johnson, COO, Georgia World Congress Center Authority; Representative David Scott; State Representative Georganna Sinkield; State Representative Calvin Smyre, president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators; Michael Thurmond, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor and State Representative Al Williams.

India.Arie was among the performers and among the presenters were Usher, Representative John Lewis, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Representative Maxine Waters and former U. N. Ambassador Andrew Young. Michelle Obama was also on hand to address the audience.