The acclaimed Trumpet Awards were presented to 23 of the best and brightest achievers in the African-American community today. Continuously referred to as the “Oscars” for Black America, the Trumpet Awards took place at the Atlanta Civic Center on Sunday, Jan. 13 with host Samuel L. Jackson and his wife, LaTanya Richardson Jackson.
“What a wonderful event; what a great night to be an African American,” is the sentiment heard throughout the crowd of more than 4,000 people who gathered to see the parade of celebrities, as they moved down the red carpet into the awards ceremony.  The Trumpet Awards Foundation, Inc., led by Xernona Clayton, presented an array of Black talent and paid tribute to African-American achievers in varied fields of endeavor including law, business, medicine, politics, entertainment and public service.
The syndicated television broadcast of the Trumpet Awards was aired on Saturday, March 1.  TV One will broadcast the show on Sunday, April 13 at 8 p.m.
Honorees for the 2008 Trumpet Awards are:

• Shareef Abdur-Rahim; Community Service Award
•  Chris “Ludacris” Bridges; Usher Raymond Altruism Award
• Halle Berry; Entertainment & Pinnacle Award
• Dr. T. B. Boyd III; Business
• The Honorable Paul L. Brady; Legal
• Danny Glover; Humanitarian
• Sheila C. Johnson; Entrepreneur
• Brian O. Jordan; Athlete/Developer
• Dr. Vance and Dr. Vincent Moss; Medicine
• Najee; Arts
• Don Thompson; Corporate Executive

Trumpet Awards Tower of Power Honorees are :

• The Honorable Thurbert Baker; Georgia Attorney General and President, National Association of Attorneys General
• Congressman Sanford Bishop, Jr.; U.S. Congressman. Georgia 2nd  District
• The Honorable Paul Howard,  Jr.; Fulton County District Attorney and Chairman, National Association of District Attorneys
• The Honorable Hank Johnson; U.S. Congressman, Georgia 4th District
• Khalil Johnson; Chief Operating Officer, Georgia World Congress Center Authority
• The Honorable Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore; Superior Court Judge
• The Honorable David Scott; U.S. Congressman, Georgia 13th District
• The Honorable Georganna Sinkfield; Georgia State Representative
• The Honorable Calvin Smyre; Georgia State Representative and President, National Black Caucus of State Legislators
• The Honorable Michael Thurmond; Commissioner, Georgia Department of Labor
• The Honorable Al Williams; Georgia State Representative and  Chairman, Georgia Legislative Black Caucus

The Red Carpet was hosted by James Avery and April Woodard, who greeted guests and honorees including Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Usher Raymond, Martin Luther King III,  Elder Bernice King,  TV One’s Johnathan Rodgers, Reverend Jessie Jackson, Ambassador Andrew Young,  Hill Harper, Chris Tucker, Congressman John Lewis, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Pastor Paula White, Dawnn Lewis, and many more. Michelle Obama spoke to the Trumpet Awards audience during the pre-show about the presidential candidacy of her husband, Barack Obama.
The unveiling of a new group of footsteps into the International Civil Right Walk of Fame was a featured event of the 2008 Annual Trumpet Awards.  Located at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, National Park Service, the 2008 Inductees included Dr. Maya Angelou; Senator Edward W. Brooke; Tyrone L. Brooks, Sr.; Sammy Davis, Jr.; Jesse Hill, Jr.; Dr. Benjamin Hooks; Attorney Clarence B. Jones; Tom Joyner; The Right Honorable Prime Minister Michael Manley; Herman Russell, Sr.; and Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., producer of entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry, was the presenting sponsor of the 2008 Trumpet Awards.  Major Sponsors included Anheuser-Busch, Inc.; Barbados Tourism Authority; The Coca-Cola Company; Delta Air Lines; ExxonMobil; Ford Motor Company; GM Goodwrench; General Motors; The Home Depot; ING; McDonald’s USA;  Nordstrom; Susan G. Komen for the Cure; TV One; UPS;  and Winsonic Digital Media Group.
Xernona Clayton, the creative force behind the first Trumpet Awards in 1993, is the founder, president and CEO of the Trumpet Awards Foundation, Inc. and she serves as the executive producer for the annual event.   Central City Productions, headed by Don Jackson, was the producer for the 2008 Trumpet Awards Ceremony.

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