Rev. Dr. James Edward Orange, chair of the Africa/African American Renaissance Festival, received the Chairman’s Award.  Hired by the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  as one of the first field staffers,  Orange was instrumental in mobilizing youth throughout the civil rights movement, making a significant impact on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Orange was instrumental in the election of Nelson Mandela as President and has continued to help with transportation needs in South Africa.  Currently the Birmingham. AL native serves as the Community and Religious Coordinator for the AFL-CIO, Southern Region in Atlanta, GA.