• Celebrity
    • OTE – Screen Kings
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Best In Black Beauty 2023
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • OTE – Screen Kings
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Best In Black Beauty 2023
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

National Action Network Honors Mary J. Blige, Tom Joyner, Robert De Niro And More At Annual Keepers Of The Dream Dinner

The event honored change agents and community heroes for their honorable work in keeping Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream alive.
National Action Network Honors Mary J. Blige, Tom Joyner, Robert De Niro And More At Annual Keepers Of The Dream Dinner
By Tanya A. Christian · Updated October 23, 2020

On Wednesday, guests packed into the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel to honor a few chosen change agents, and a local hero, for their commitment to their respective fields and community. The awards, outfitted with a photo of Martin Luther King, Jr., were handed out at the annual, Keepers of the Dream Dinner, put on by the Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, and co-sponsored by ESSENCE. Among the honorees were Mary J. Blige, Tom Joyner, and Waffle House hero, James Shaw Jr.

“You may have killed the dreamer but you have not killed the dream,” Sharpton said to mark the event that was held on the eve of the 51st anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in Memphis, TN.

While Anthony Anderson acted as the master of ceremonies, Sharpton invited Martin Luther King III on stage to help award and congratulate the honorees. One of which was James Shaw Jr. who, last April, disarmed a gunman attempting to shoot up a Tennessee Waffle House. At the time of the incident, Shaw said he was no hero, but instead, just a regular person who was “acting selfishly” to save his own life. A year later his sentiments remain.

“I never thought that I would be on stage with Martin Luther King III and Reverend Al Sharpton for just doing something that I had to do,” Shaw told more than a thousand attendees. “So I’m definitely grateful, appreciative, and all those words and I’m just grateful to be here and overwhelmed by the round of applause.”

Other notable guests in attendance included Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, MSNBC host Joy-Ann Reid, author and radio host, Michael Eric Dyson, and awardees Robert DeNiro and Mary J. Blige. The “Queen of Hip Hop Soul” took home the night’s final honor, and confessed, “Without prayer, there is none of this.” She also used her time on stage to thank Sharpton for his continued support, saying, “When Reverend Al Sharpton is on your team, you have someone on your team for life.”

View this post on Instagram

Thank you @real_sharpton & @nationalactionnetwork for the Entertainment Award tonight. I am so grateful! 💛💛

A post shared by Mary J Blige (@therealmaryjblige) on Apr 3, 2019 at 7:19pm PDT

Before the evening’s festivities came to an end, the long-time civil rights activist reminded guests of the importance of keeping Dr. King’s fight alive. “In these times when many of the things Dr. King fought for and got done — the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act of 64’, Open Housing Act — they are all under threat, and they are trying to rescind some of the voting rights and they are certainly infringing upon civil rights,” Sharpton stressed. “But just like Dr. King kept fighting, you are in a room of 1300 fighters, of people who refuse to bend or bow.”

TOPICS:  Al Sharpton James Shaw Jr. Martin Luther King Jr Mary J. Blige National Action Network Robert DeNiro
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now