MONTGOMERY - On August 12, 2015, Secretary Merrill will recognize Fred Gray by awarding him the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Medallion Award.
The NASS Medallion Award allows individual Secretaries of State to recognize outstanding service and dedication to furthering the mission of NASS within the states. The NASS Medallion Award was created to honor individuals, groups or organizations with an established record of promoting the goals of NASS in one or more of the following areas: elections, with special emphasis on voter education and participation, civic education, including the teaching, promotion and study of this subject, service to state government, specifically as it relates to the duties of the office of the Secretary of State or a commitment to giving – a business or individual whose philanthropic contributions have significantly enhanced the quality of life in a local or regional area within a state, or within an entire state.
"As Alabama continues to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, it is my honor to recognize Fred Gray for his admirable record of professional achievement," said Secretary Merrill. "His contributions to the voting rights movement in this country are powerful and a lasting legacy. It is because of men like Mr. Gray that we as a state have made significant steps toward equality."
Gray served as president of the National Bar Association in 1985, and in 2001 became the first African-American elected president of the Alabama State Bar Association. His autobiography, "Bus Ride to Justice," earned the Soaring Eagles Award from the Minority Caucus of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
Today, he serves as the senior managing shareholder of the Gray, Langford, Sapp, McGowan, Gray, Gray, & Nathanson Law Firm, with offices in Montgomery and Tuskegee, Alabama.
Mr. Gray’s ceremony will be held in the Milo B. Howard Auditorium at the Alabama Archives and History Museum. The ceremony is open to the public and will begin at 10:00 a.m. For more information, please contact the Secretary’s Executive Office at 334-242-7200.
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