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Grammy Award Winning Star Regina Belle Joins Lowery & Henley at NAACP Gala
October 29, 2009


                                                               NAACP Logo








_______SAN FRANCISCO BRANCH NAACP     _



 The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, Grammy Award Winning Regina Belle
and Celebrity Host Barry Shabaka Henley
Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the NAACP at
the San Francisco Branch Gala

San Francisco, California - The San Francisco Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (SF NAACP) will host its Annual Freedom Fund Dinner and Gala on Saturday, November 7, 2009, Reception 6:00, Dinner 7:00 p. m. , at the Parc 55 Hotel, Cyril Magnin Street, San Francisco, California.  Please join the San Francisco Branch in celebration of  the NAACP Centennial Anniversary, 1909 to 2009, the theme is "100 Years: Bold Dreams ~ Big Victories." 

One big victory for local organizers is the addition of the award-winning songstress Regina Belle to the evening's festivities.  She is known for her  duet with Peabo Bryson, "A Whole New World" which won a Grammy Award and "Best Song Oscar"  for the movie, Aladdin.  Her Platinum selling album, Passion" included "Dream in Color" and "If I Could."

Regina Belle
Regina Belle to Sing from the Heart for the NAACP

Rev. Dr. Lowery Receives Medal of Freedom from President Obama

President Barack Obama present The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery 
the 2009 Medal of Freedom Award.
(Click Image for details.)

The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery will be the keynote speaker.  Rev. Lowery's career in the civil rights movement began in the early 1950's in Mobile Alabama.  After Rosa Parks' arrest in 1955, Dr. Lowery helped lead the Montgomery bus boycott.  He headed the Alabama Civic Affairs Association, devoted to the desegregation of buses in public places.  In 1957 along with Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and subsequently led the organization as its president from 1977 to 1997.  Dr. Joseph Lowery has received several awards.  The NAACP gave him an award in 1997 titled "dean of the civil rights movement," and "Lifetime Achievement Award."
 
Barry Shabaka Henley Receives Pioneer Award at Ave Montague's 9th Annual SF Black Film Festival
Hollywood Star Barry Shabaka Henley Received the "Pioneer Award"
at the 9th Annual SF Black Film Festival in 2007.
(click Image for background info.)


NAACP Image Award Recipient, Bay Area Celebrity and Hollywood Star, Barry Shabaka Henley will emcee the event.  Henley, who grew up in San Francisco, heralding from New Orleans, Louisiana, is currently filming the ABC Network hit show, FlashForward.  Henley, who also received the "Pioneer Award" at the 9th Annual San Francisco Black Film Festival, has numerous film and TV credits including Collateral, Miami Vice, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Ali, Lackawanna Blues, Barbershop, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, and Close to Home among others and has appeared in stage productions on Broadway.

The San Francisco Branch will use the occasion to also honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of community, health and education.  In addition, the organization is proud to honor the Youth Council, which has exhibited exemplary leadership this year.

Individual tickets for the Dinner/Gala are $100.00 each and sponsorship opportunities are available.  For further information, please contact the San Francisco NAACP at telephone 415-922-0650; fax 415-922-3181; e-mail naacpsfbr@att.net.

For media inquiries for advance and day of interviews, contact Jacquie Taliaferro, Director of Communications, San Francisco NAACP directly at lahitznews@yahoo.com or call 415 821-1111.

ABOUT THE NAACP
Founded in 1909, one hundred years ago, in the home of William English Walling the NAACP was conceived following the lynching of two elderly black men and two days of rioting in Springfield, Illinois.  During its hundred years, the NAACP has repeatedly changed America for the better, and not just for black people, but for all people.  Visit www.naacp.org for more information.


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1290 Fillmore Street San Francisco, CA 94115 ● Suite 109 (415) 922-0650 Fax: (415) 922-3181


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