Ford Motor Co.‘s African Ancestry Network hosted its 39th annual Black History Month celebration at the Henry Hotel in Dearborn, Michigan, on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020.
The event, which recognizes Black excellence in education, entrepreneurship and community leadership, featured renowned education expert, media commentator and daytime TV host Steve Perry, Ed.D. as the evening’s keynote speaker, with a performance by Grammy-nominated jazz ensemble Straight Ahead. Emmy-winning broadcast journalist Paula Tutman served as mistress of ceremony, and co-chairs for this year’s Black History Month celebration were Felicia Jones and Regina Gambrell-Smith.
The evening’s honorees included:
Adrienne Bennett, recognized as North America’s first female master plumber.
Tolulope Sonuyi, M.D., a physician and founder of Detroit Life is Valuable Everyday (DLIVE).
Bartel Welch, founder and executive director of Code 313 in Detroit, which offers children the foundational skills to create using technology.
William Pickard, Ph.D., executive chairman, Global Automotive Alliance Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management.
Edna Bell, vice president of community affairs for Home Team Realty and former Wayne County Commissioner.
View photos from the event in the gallery above.
The Ford African Ancestry Network (FAAN) was established in 1983 as an open forum committed to promoting diversity, leadership development and a sense of community among all employees in the Dearborn-based company.
