The National Black Caucus of State Legislators of the United States Congress have presented the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, with the first-ever International Nation Builders Award of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.
Presenting the award to President Akufo-Addo, the President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators of the United States Congress, Congressman Billy Mitchell, explained that the “Nation Builders Award” was established “to recognize those African-Americans who have distinguished themselves to live-long service and dedication to enfranchisement and inclusion of Americans of African discent into the national body of politics.”
Speaking at the award ceremony on Wednesday, 1st December 2021, at the 45th Annual National Black Caucus of State Legislators in Atlanta, Georgia, Congressman Billy Mitchell explained the nation build award ceremony was renamed in 1995 to honour the late David P. Richardson, a twenty-three-year member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and NBCSL’s third President.
“I must say as the President of NBCSL, it is my belief, that we must unite and partner with our brothers and sisters of the continent and throughout diaspora. It is not lost on me that Ghana is widely regarded as the hub of pan-Africanism and the final resting place of many of our great thinkers, yes, even W.E.B. Du Bois,” he said.
Describe himself as “a student of Kwame Nkrumah”, Congressman Mitchell, I know we are stronger together and when we unite and advance the causes of our people, internationally, we are all better.
“It is for this reason I present to you this award Mr. President, for your commitment to working collaboratively to achieve the liberation of African people despite where we were born. Mr. President, I present to you, the first International Nation Builders Award of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators,” he added.