Breaking: ADC to Honor Ralph Johns; Will Host Jibreel Khazan of the ‘Greensboro Four’

Washington, DC | www.adc.org| June 6, 2014 –The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is proud to announce that it will honor Ralph Johns for his dedication to civil rights and equality for all at the 2014 National Convention held at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington, VA. ADC will posthumously present an award to Ralph Johns, which will be graciously accepted on his behalf by Jibreel Khazan of the ‘Greensboro Four.’ ADC will commit to carrying the legacy of Ralph Johns by presenting the Ralph Johns Award each year at the National Convention. 

ADC would be remiss to not acknowledge the contributions of Ralph Johns to the 1960s civil rights movement in the United States, namely in the segregated south. A Syrian American, Ralph Johns was a vocal advocate and supporter of the “Greensboro Four”.  A tireless defender of civil rights for all Americans, he risked his own life and safety. As early as the 1950s, Ralph Johns began to publicize messages against racism and segregation in his storefront window. Ralph Johns was subject to harassment and threats to his life from individuals who did not support his spirit of equality for all, notably from members of the Ku Klux Klan. Ralph Johns was also an active member of the NAACP and served as local chapter vice president in the late 1950s.

Mr. Khazan was a principal contributor to the 1960’s civil rights movement in the United States. Mr. Khazan was part of the “Greensboro Four,” who initiated the sit-in movements throughout the segregated south when they sat down at the F. W. Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina and requested service on February 1, 1960. 

Mr. Khazan continued to be active in the civil rights movement as a member of the NAACP campus chapter and the Greensboro Congress for Racial Equality (CORE) chapter at North Carolina A&T State University. In addition, to his work as a counselor for developmentally disabled people, Jibreel Khazan continued his civil rights work actively working with the AFL/CIO Trade Council in Boston, at the Opportunities Industrialization Center, and at the Rodman Job Corps Center.

The Inaugural Ralph Johns Award is awarded to a person whose unfettered commitment to civil rights has not only stood the test of time, but also unwaveringly in times of negative, unpopular, and/or violent sentiment in society. A Ralph Johns awardee has sacrificed their own personal freedom and liberty to fight for the rights of others and society as a whole.

The Award will be presented at the Saturday Evening Gala, which will be held on Saturday, June 14 at 7:30 PM. Register now for the ADC National Convention and join us in honoring Ralph Johns and other community leaders and activists, June 12-15 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA. Space is limited so make sure to sign up today! To view the full Convention program click here.