Reverend Al Sharpton to Receive Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Leadership Award
Jan 14, 2013
The Reverend Al Sharpton will receive SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University's
Second Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Leadership Award on Thursday, January 24, 2013, at 9:00 a.m., in a ceremony in the Alumni Auditorium.
The award, sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, recognizes individuals
who have an exemplary record of service in government, business, or education, and
who have a distinguished record in molding consensus to shape solutions to important
societal challenges.
As one of the nation's most renowned civil rights leaders, Reverend Sharpton has been
praised by President Barack Obama as "the voice of the voiceless and a champion for
the downtrodden." As president and founder of the National Action Network, one of
the nation's most respected civil rights organizations, he has influenced national
legislation on voting rights, gun control, federal sentencing guidelines, privacy,
education, employment, and immigration.
In addition, from his background as a national civil rights activist, Reverend Sharpton
has built a national political coalition. He has helped to open the door for Americans,
regardless of race, religion, gender, or national origin, to run for political office.
In 1978 he was a Democratic candidate for the New York State Senate. In 1992 and 1994,
Reverend Sharpton was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the United States
Senate from New York, and in 2004 he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination
for the United States presidency.
Reverend Sharpton is currently the only African-American host of an evening talk show. The program, "PoliticsNation" on MSNBC, analyses the top political and social news of the day featuring the country's leading news makers. Reverend Sharpton also hosts a nationally syndicated radio program.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.