Hall to Receive Booker T. Washington Award from National Minority Quality Forum

National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) announced today it will honor the Pro Football Hall of Fame with its highly acclaimed Booker T. Washington Award in a ceremony at The Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 5.

The Booker T. Washington Award recognizes an individual or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion of wellness in emerging populations and is presented by NMQF.

Pro Football Hall of Fame programming related to health and wellness — promoting physical, mental and emotional well-being — includes its “Strong Youth Strong Communities” outreach that connects Hall of Fame members with youth across the country in a partnership with national health care provider Centene Corp. Another recent initiative provided inspirational and hope-filled messages from dozens of Hall enshrinees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“On behalf of everyone at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we are sincerely grateful for this wonderful tribute,” said David Baker, President and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “The Strong Youth Strong Community programs are part of the Hall’s #HuddleUpAmerica initiative, which is designed to bring people together of all races, religions and ethnicities. Now is the time for all of America to ‘huddle up’ to help each other and love each other."

“Booker T. Washington and this award in his name represent the spirit and hope that if we can huddle up and learn to trust each other, then there is no limit to what we can accomplish together.”

Dr. Gary Puckrein, President and CEO of the National Minority Quality Forum, said the organization was honored to present the Booker T. Washington Award to the Hall of Fame.

“National Minority Quality Forum has had the honor of working with the Pro Football Hall of Fame, particularly its Strong Youth, Strong Communities program nationwide,” Puckrein said. “We have seen the impact that it has had on the students, parents and leaders from Oakland to Orlando. The Gold Jackets use their platform and celebrity to truly give back to and improve the lives of others. For all these reasons, we are honored that they are accepting the 2020 Booker T. Washington Award.”

Booker T. Washington started the National Negro Health Week (NNHW) in 1915. From 1921 to 1953, NNHW was a program supported by the Public Health Service. By partnering with Congress and the White House, NMQF started National Minority Health Month in 1988 as a successor of NNHW.

Four Hall of Famers — DARRELL GREEN, ANTHONY MUÑOZ, AENEAS WILLIAMS and ANDRE TIPPETT — last week were part of a Strong Young Strong Community session with students in New Hampshire that focused on suicide prevention and the message “#YouAreNotAlone.”

“For the Hall of Fame, there is an important role that we can play in building healthier and stronger communities across the nation,” said Green, who helped bring the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Centene Corp. together for wellness programming. “Through our partnership with Centene, we are making considerable progress, and we are humbled by the recognition from NMQF.”

Past Booker T. Washington Award honorees include U.S. Surgeon Generals Vivek Murthy and Regina Benjamin, the American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association. Nominations are received from advisors and stakeholders chosen by NMQF leadership.