The maiden presentation of the award was presented to President Barack Obama at the biennial Spaulding family reunion on July 31, 2010 at 7:00 PM in the evening at the Hilton North Raleigh Hotel, Raleigh, NC.
The family association Board of Directors under its non-profit foundation unanimously nominated President Obama to be the first recipient of this Award. The Association's decision required little effort, as it saw in President Obama the characteristics of servant leadership, a passion for the social engineering that works for the greater good of all humankind and a strong sense of family cohesiveness.
The George Henry White Pioneer Award was established to recognize and pay tribute to those who embody the traits which Congressman White possessed.
This award honors outstanding persons who demonstrate qualities of servant leadership, social entrepreneurship, visionary action, and family cohesiveness.
The award is presented at the bi-annual national reunions of the Benjamin and Edith Spaulding Descendants Association.
Highlighting excellence in public service is intended to encourage youth to emulate these standards in their own lives.
George Henry White was a distinguished attorney, educator, and public servant in North Carolina during the late 19th century. Born in Bladen County in 1852, he graduated from Howard University to become a teacher and principal, Admitted to the N.C. bar in 1879, White entered politics as a Republican, serving in both houses of the N.C. General Assembly and winning two terms as district solicitor. He then served two terms as the only African American in the U.S. Congress (1897 to 1901), where he became widely known as a powerful spokesman for civil justice for his race. White retired after North Carolina amended its constitution in 1900 to disfranchise most black voters.
Himself a target of vehement attacks and racial slurs, George White foresaw the need for economic self-sufficiency and access to higher education for those of color. In 1903, he founded the town of Whitesboro, New Jersey, as a haven for African Americans from “Jim Crow” segregation and racial violence—a utopian settlement where people could own farms and businesses, where children could receive an excellent education, and where each person could achieve personal and professional goals, given “an even chance in the race of life.” He also founded the first black-owned commercial savings bank in Philadelphia, where he moved to practice law in 1906, and where he died in 1918.
George White’s memorable “farewell speech” to Congress, delivered in January 1901, urged America to restore equal political and social treatment for African Americans. Despite the political setbacks of his era, he predicted that African Americans would one day return to Congress—a prediction fulfilled in 1928, when Chicago’s Oscar De Priest became the next African American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
The BESDF, Inc./BESDA, Inc. South Atlantic Regional organization is working with the local community in Bladen County, NC to have a historical landmark installed recognizing the birth of George Henry White in Bladen County.
To be considered for this award, candidates must have demonstrated the following:
Servant Leadership involves inspiring others by one’s deeds, especially through service to society.
Social Entrepreneurship means creating businesses and economic structures that build wealth, develop skills, foster education, increase opportunity and achievement for all those touched by the enterprise.
Visionary Action is the ability to both envision positive ideas and to practically implement them.
Family Cohesiveness. Not only does this quality honor family relationships, but extends that awareness into the larger society. The family model protects and nurtures individual growth, while developing connectedness and caring for others.
2010 - President Barack Obama 