“STAGES OF FREEDOM”
For his??sixty??years championing civil rights,??Stages of Freedom’s Ray Rickman??has been??honored with the National Parks Service??Frederick Douglass Award.
Following receipt of the award at Boston’s historic African Meeting House, Ray spoke from??the very lectern Frederick Douglass used??when he recruited Black soldiers for the 54th Regiment in 1863.
Ray told of his civil rights journey, beginning at age??nine??when he testified as the lead witness in an Detriot equal education law suit in federal court, to marching with James Meredith in Sunflower County, MS during the Civil Rights Movement, to creating Swim Empowerment??to end the health disparity of African American youth drowning??in Rhode Island. He urged the packed house to give just two percent of their time, money or energy to a??need or cause to??make the world a better place.
Photos courtesy of Cheryl??& Constance Jordan