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Crossing the River
Jordan Award
In
1994, Public Education Network created the Crossing the
River Jordan Award to celebrate the 10th anniversary
of the local education fund movement.
The award recognizes outstanding individuals who have
made significant contributions to supporting public education
and increasing educational opportunities for poor and
disadvantaged children. Drawing from the spiritual language
so integral to the American civil rights movement, the
award’s name calls to mind both the final stages
of the biblical journey to the Promised Land and the
journey of American slaves to freedom in the north. The
award honors those whose vision and tireless labor on
behalf of education have assisted others to “cross
over” into the promised land of higher education,
improved career opportunities, and full participation
in American society.
The Crossing the River Jordan Award is presented at
Public Education Network’s annual conference in
Washington, DC. Through the years, the award has been
given to individuals from all walks of life, from a Supreme
Court Justice to a Mississippi laundress, from a pioneering
civil rights activist to one of the world’s most
prominent business leaders.
It has also been awarded to groundbreaking academics,
to generous philanthropists, to individuals who have
spent their careers in government service, and to those
who have had a profound impact on local education funds
and their work. Despite the diversity of backgrounds
and achievements, the recipients of the Crossing the
River Jordan Award are united by a dedication to children,
to equality of opportunity, and to furthering quality
public education.
The River Jordan originates north of the Sea of Galilee
and flows through a deep valley into the Dead Sea. In
biblical verse, and in African-American spirituals, the
River Jordan is the embodiment of overcoming, of triumph,
of having faith in what lies on the other side. In the
era of slavery, and later during the years of Jim Crow,
the River Jordan was seen as a magical boundary between
bondage and freedom, between despair and hope, between
North and South.
In honoring the men and women whose stories follow,
Public Education Network illuminates the many ways these
individuals have helped others cross the River Jordan,
to increase equality of opportunity, and to ensure that
all children have access to a quality public education.
Previous Winners |
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2006 Award Winner
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