Interview: John Echohawk, a Boulder-based attorney, received the Thurgood Marshall Award for his contributions to Native American rights
2024 Thurgood Marshall Award
Honoring Eva Paterson
Eva Paterson, Co-Founder and former President of the Equal Justice Society, has dedicated her life's work to fighting for racial justice and civil rights. The ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice has selected Eva to receive the 2024 Thurgood Marshall Award to celebrate her long-term contributions to advancing civil rights in the United States. She will receive the award on Saturday, August 3, 2024, during a dinner celebration at the 2024 ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.
About - the Recipient2024 Sponsorship Opportunities
When you participate in the Thurgood Marshall Award Celebration through sponsorship, you help fund the innovative projects and programs implemented by the ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice to ensure that protection of civil rights remains a focus of legal and policy decisions. These programs express the profession's commitment to achieving through the legal system, the American ideals of justice, freedom, and equality for all.
John E. Echohawk Received the 2023 Thurgood Marshall Award
2023 Annual Meeting
The ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice honored Native American Rights Fund Executive Director John E. Echohawk with the 2023 Thurgood Marshall Award during the 2023 ABA Annual Meeting in Denver, CO.
About - the DinnerCall for Nominations: 2024 Thurgood Marshall Award
Due by September 1
The American Bar Association Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice invites nominations for its annual Thurgood Marshall Award, established to honor and give public recognition to an individual or organization who has made an exceptional contribution to the advancement of human rights in the United States. The celebration will take place at a dinner on Saturday, August 3, during the 2024 ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Submit - A Nomination
Donate Today!
Generous donors supporting the Thurgood Marshall Award Celebration help fund the innovative projects and programs implemented by the ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice to ensure that protection of civil rights remains a focus of legal and policy decisions. All sponsors and individual donors will receive recognition during the 2022 Thurgood Marshall Award Celebration Program.
Make Your Gift - Donate TodaySherrilyn Ifill Honored with 2022 Thurgood Marshall Award
2022 Annual Meeting
The Section honored the esteemed President and Director-Counsel Emeritus of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., Sherrilyn Ifill, with the 2022 Thurgood Marshall Award in a celebration during the ABA Annual Meeting.
About - the RecipientCivil Rights Leader Clarence B. Jones Awarded 2021 Thurgood Marshall Award
2021 Annual Meeting
The Section honored legendary civil rights leader Dr. Clarence B. Jones with the 2021 Thurgood Marshall Award in a virtual celebration during the ABA Annual Meeting. Serving as advisor and lawyer to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Jones played a pivotal role in many events in the Civil Rights era, including assisting in the drafting of Dr. King’s momentous "I Have a Dream" address; acting as part of the successful defense team for the SCLC in New York Times v. Sullivan; serving as part of Dr. King’s inner circle of advisers, called the “research committee”; and contributing with Vincent Harding and Andrew Young to Dr. King’s “Beyond Vietnam” address at New York’s Riverside Church on April 4, 1967. After Dr. King’s death, Dr. Jones served as one of the negotiators during the 1971 prison riot at Attica, and was editor and part owner of the New York Amsterdam News from 1971 to 1974.
About - the 2021 EventChildren's Defense Fund Marian Wright Edelman Honored at the 2020 Annual Meeting
2020 Thurgood Marshall Award
On July 31, the Section honored longtime activist Marian Wright Edelman, one of our nation's foremost civil rights champions and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Founder and President Emerita of the Children's Defense Fund, the country's strongest voice for children and families, Mrs. Edelman was the first African-American woman to be admitted to the Mississippi Bar while courageously directing the NAACP LDF's Jackson, Mississippi office at the height of the battle for civil rights in the deep South, and subsequently serving as Counsel to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Poor People's Campaign.
About - the 2020 Recipient
Thank you to our 2023 Sponsors
The Section deeply thanks each generous sponsor for its support that enables the Section to advance its programs and publications and better serve our community of advocates nationwide working to protect civil rights and social justice.