Who We’re Honoring at the 2015 Humphrey Award Dinner

On May 13, the civil and human rights community will honor former U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., long-time activist Laura Murphy, and former Sen. Bob Dole with its highest honor, the Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award, for their commitment to equal justice under the law.

The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.

The first African-American U.S. Attorney General, Holder has been a tireless voice for the rights and protections of those at the margins of society. On so many issues – such as racial justice, fair sentencing, workplace rights, prosecution of hate crimes, economic justice, immigration policy, and his unwavering support of voting rights – he has exemplified the values that lie at the heart of civil and human rights. Under his leadership, the Department of Justice put forth groundbreaking reforms to our broken criminal justice system, protected homeowners from predatory lending, and backed LGBT rights and the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

Laura Murphy

Murphy is one of the nation’s foremost advocates for civil rights, human rights, and civil liberties. As a community activist, lobbyist, and long-time leader with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), she has been second to none in underscoring the importance of coalition-building, bringing disparate voices to the table to advance social justice. The first woman and first African-American director of the ACLU Washington legislative office, she has been a leading voice for the Family Medical Leave Act, religious freedom, criminal justice reform, racial equality, LGBT rights, and voting rights. In January, Murphy stepped down as director of the ACLU’s Washington legislative office, having served 17 years in the position where she worked with lawmakers across the political spectrum to advance human rights and civil liberties. As a Leadership Conference board representative and task force chair, Murphy has played a principal role in shaping The Leadership Conference’s strategic direction.

Senator Bob Dole

Dole has spent a lifetime in public service on behalf of the state of Kansas and our nation, exemplifying the spirit of his former Senate colleague Hubert H. Humphrey. Dole’s decades-long leadership in the House of Representatives and the Senate, and his continuing advocacy on behalf of the disadvantaged and people with disabilities, reflect his unwavering commitment to equality. His first speech as a senator, advocating for the rights of people with disabilities, proved a harbinger of a Senate career devoted to the civil rights of all Americans. A recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he remains an outspoken champion of the rights of veterans, voting rights, ending child hunger, and is a leading voice in support of ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Visit our Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award Dinner page for information about tickets and sponsorships. Online ticket sales end on Monday, May 11.