Roy Wilkins & Merlin Kennedy Award Nominations

Nominee Criteria & Nominations Process

Your help is needed to identify a pool of candidates for both the Roy Wilkins Award and the Merlin Kennedy Community Service Award. The goal is to choose one recipient per award.

The Roy Wilkins Award will be given to an individual whose service to the Branch has been exemplary; or to an organization who has been an exemplary resource for the Branch. The Roy Wilkins is the ultimate achievement of service. Carefully select a nominee based on the following criteria:

  1. Must be a current member of the Bloomington-Normal Branch of the NAACP
  2. Demonstrated a life-long dedication to the NAACP through service to the Bloomington-Normal Branch of the NAACP
  3. Exemplified the goals, the objectives, and the mission of the NAACP through his/her service in the organization
  4. Demonstrated leadership courage beyond the call of duty while serving as a member of the Bloomington-Normal NAACP
  5. Demonstrated commitment in aiding the Branch in accomplishing its goals and objectives in the community
  6. Has served the Bloomington-Normal Branch in the spirit of excellence while dutifully serving the Bloomington-Normal NAACP

The Merlin Kennedy Community Service Award will be given to an individual whose service to the community has been exemplary. The Merlin Kennedy Community Service Award was created to honor people in the community who are making a difference. Carefully select a nominee based on the following criteria:

  1. Must live within McLean County (preferably lives in the Bloomington-Normal area)
  2. Dedicated time, talents, and service to the betterment of the Bloomington-Normal area through Community/Human Service efforts or organizations
  3. Service activities have been primarily focused on promoting diversity and inclusion in the Bloomington-Normal area
  4. Service has been dedicated to social-humanitarianism or socially impactful groups within the Bloomington-Normal area that deal in the areas of Economic Sustainability, Education, Health, Public Safety and Criminal Justice, Voting Rights and Political Representation, or Youth Engagement

Nominations Process:

  • Nomination forms will be dispersed on July 22, 2022.
  • Nomination forms are to be completed and submitted by 5:00pm on Friday, August 22nd, 2022.
  • The Executive Committee will receive the names and notes of nomination for all nominees (if more than one for each category) by August 26th, 2022.
  • The Executive Committee will need to submit his/her vote by 5:00pm on August 29th, 2022. 
    • One candidate will be selected for each award.
    • If there is a tie, the Freedom Fund Chair will make the deciding vote.
  • Honoree award letters will go out on Saturday, September 2nd, 2022 notifying the honoree and requesting a bio and photo.
    • Each honoree will receive a complimentary Freedom Fund ticket.

Remember all nominations must be received by 5:00pm on Friday, August 22th.