Melba Moore To Receive Legacy Award At BE’s 19th Annual Women Of Power Summit

The singer will be honored next month.

Legendary singer Melba Moore is set to receive a tribute at BLACK ENTERPRISE’s 19th Annual Legacy Awards Gala that begins the 2025 Women of Power Summit in Las Vegas from March 5-9.

The gala honors iconic women who exemplify resilience, strength, and excellence. Moore’s 50-plus-year career has proven her legacy and power.

In 2023, she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. First lady Michelle Obama also honored Moore, who spoke to her power as an artist and someone who lets her voice resonate in a world that may not always appreciate it.

“There is power in allowing yourself to be known and heard,” Obama wrote. “In owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice.”

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The thespian and singer has had a career of firsts, using her voice to travel the difficult road to success. Moore is the first Black American woman to win a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her work in Purlie in 1970.

In 1972, Moore hosted The Melba Moore/Clifton Davis Hour, a primetime variety show on CBS. In 1985, Moore was one of only three Black women nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Female Rock Performance category.

Some may forget the maverick’s accomplishments, but Moore’s voice is embedded in the community’s psyche as one of the singers of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Negro National Anthem. Though the song was written by James Weldon Johnson and first performed by the Stanton School Choir in 1900, Moore’s version is preserved in Congressional records for posterity.

At 79, Moore continues to perform internationally. “How do you say thank you?” she told Forbes. “And how do you inspire other people to do the same thing? It’s not all about you.”