February 17, 2023
Black Legend Awards Silicon Valley Will Hold the 8th Annual Induction Ceremony Honoring History-Making Black Pioneers in Silicon Valley
This Saturday, February 18, 2023, the Black Legend Awards Silicon Valley will hold the 8thAnnual Induction Ceremony honoring Black pioneers who have made history in Silicon Valley through their achievements.
The evening promises to be an inspirational and engaging international event, critically needed at a time when accurate reporting of Black History is essential education for all communities to promote understanding and celebration.
This virtual event begins with a warm reception with people from all over the globe and Legends from Classes 2015 through 2023 at 3:30 p.m. PST/6:30 p.m. EST. Award-winning television and radio hosts Afrikahn Jahmal Dayvs (Legend Class of 2023) and Janice Edwards (Legend Class of 2019) co-host the ceremony; acclaimed artist Stacy Carter performs.
The Black Legend Awards Silicon Valley is a fundraiser for the continued development of the San Jose Black History Museum Silicon Valley (SJBHMSV).Tickets can be purchased here, at blacklegendsawards.org or by calling 408.320.2111 for special group, family and couples ticket rates.
This year, Black Legend Awards Silicon Valley also celebrates the publication of Legacy: The History and Stories of African Ancestry & African Americans in Silicon Valley. More than a history book, it is the must-have missing piece of the puzzle that firmly reinserts African Ancestry and African Americans back into the halls of history. Legacy is available in Hardcover and Paperback and can be purchased online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and various bookstores. For bulk purchase for schools and other organizations, please contact Black Legend Awards Silicon Valley at408.320.2111 or info@blacklegendawards.org. The books are available for individual purchase online or at bookstores.
Five prominent organizations in San Jose formed a Consortium to advance the development of a Black History museum in San Jose, The San Jose Black History Museum Silicon Valley (SJBHMSV):
- Joyner Payne Youth Services Agency, Inc.
- Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
- African America Community Service Agency
- The National Association of Juneteenth Lineage California, Inc. (NAJLCA)
- Our Common Denominator.
The purpose of this groundbreaking collaborative is to create an educational institution that will celebrate the genius and contributions of Black People throughout time, starting with Mother Africa, American History and ending with the Silicon Valley.
THE INDUCTEES FOR THE CLASS OF 2023 are:
The Banks-Gage Education Award recipient is John Payne. This honor is awarded to individuals who had outstanding careers as teachers, administrators, and policymakers, who had a significant impact on the quality of educational services for the community, and who enhanced the lives of people in the Black community.
The Brown-Gross Public Service Award recipient is Dudley C. Bynoe.*
This honor is awarded to those public service employees who provided for the health and safety of the broader community and enhanced the quality of life of people in the Black community.
The Community Sports & Leadership Award recipient is Percy Carr.This honor is awarded to the individual who has nurtured, mentored, and developed young boys and girls through various sports and athletically oriented activities. This honoree helped youth excel in athletics, become leaders in the community, and enhance the quality of life of people in the Black community.
The Clay-Williams Business & Entrepreneur Award recipient is Joseph Johnson.*
This honor is awarded to those business owners and entrepreneurs who created successful businesses or services in the community and used their success to enhance people’s lives in the Black community.
The Dean-Greene S.T.E.M Award recipient is Vernol Battiste.
This honor is awarded to individuals who helped produce, enhance, and improve today’s social network and were instrumental in landmark changes in S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to enhance and improve the general public’s lives and those in the Black community.
The English-Higgins Health & Medicine Award recipient is Marjorie Craig.
This honor is awarded to those doctors, nurses, and health practitioners who provided healthcare to people in the broader community and enhanced the lives of people in the Black community.
The Harris-Washington Spiritual Award recipient is Rev. Dr. Moses S. Pinkston.*
This honor is awarded to those members of the faith-based communities who have led congregations of churches or mosques in prayer for peace and salvation in the broader community and have enhanced people’s lives in the Black community.
The Joyner-Stroughter Community Service Award recipients are Clarissa Abram-Moore and Ellen Rollins.
This honor is awarded to businesspeople and volunteers who created and/or volunteered for non-profit agencies that provide essential services to enhance the quality of life for people in the Black community.
The Piper-Whye Art/Theater/Music Award recipient is Afrikahn Jahmal Dayvs.
This honor is awarded to individuals who have distinguished themselves and have had outstanding careers in art, theater, television, or movies in the broader community and have used their influence to enhance people’s lives in the Black community.
Community Organization Award recipient is Eta Rho Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. This honor is awarded to Black organizations that have served and enhanced the lives of people in the Black community and Silicon Valley.
*These awards are being bestowed posthumously.
Contact for more information: Black Legend Awards Silicon Valley 408.320.2111 or
info@blacklegendawards.org