Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are ready to make their debut appearance in Hollywood to accept an award.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will receive an award for their social justice initiatives at the NAACP Image Awards, their first visit in Hollywood since moving to California in 2020.
The couple, who will step down as senior working royals in 2020, said it was a “real honour” in a joint statement.
Muhammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, LeBron James, Rihanna, Jay-Z, and Lauryn Hill have all received the President’s Award.
The couple went on to say that the NAACP’s efforts on racial justice were as “important” today as they were more than a century ago when it was founded.
The NAACP, or National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was founded in 1909 in reaction to persistent violence against black people and is the United States’ largest and most influential civil rights organisation, with over two million activists.
Its Image Awards honour exceptional achievements and performances by persons of colour in the arts.
“We’re happy to offer this honour to Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who together have answered the call to social justice and have joined the struggle for equity both in the US and around the world,” said Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP.
The Archewell Foundation of the Sussexes is financing the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, which recognises leaders who are bringing about “transformational change at the interface of social justice and technology.”
Mr Johnson added: “Not only do they continue to lead by example, the duke and duchess have also decided to inspire the next generation of activists through the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, ensuring the support and recognition of generations of civil rights leaders to come.”
This inaugural recipient is author and scholar Dr Safiya Noble, who has pioneered the study of how digital technologies intersect with culture, race, and gender- she will receive a 100,000 US dollars unrestricted stipend to help advance new work in the field.
“It’s a true honour to be recognised by President Derrick Johnson and the NAACP, whose work to push racial fairness and civil rights are as relevant now as they were nearly 115 years ago,” Harry and Meghan said in a joint statement.
“We’re proud to support the NAACP’s work and to also partner with the organisation on the newly created annual NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, which will be bestowed to Dr Safiya Noble as part of the 53rd NAACP Image Awards.”
The Sussexes have been vocal on matters of race, contributing to the national debate in the US.
Meghan told of her “absolute devastation” at racial divisions in a speech to her old high school in June 2020 following the murder of George Floyd.
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