Morehouse College to Honor Five Extraordinary Leaders for Industry Achievement during its 157th Founder’s Week and 36th Annual “A Candle in the Dark” Gala

Morehouse College has announced the celebration of its 157th anniversary with its annual Founder’s Week commemoration activities, reflecting on the history and legacy of the College by honoring the work and lives of current industry and community changemakers. The culminating “A Candle in the Dark” Awards Gala, presented by JME Group, recognizes outstanding alumni and non-alumni honorees who are exemplary in their professions and communities, exhibiting a commitment to leadership, excellence, and service. The Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays “Bennie” Award, named for one of the College’s most revered presidents, is among Morehouse’s highest alumni honors. This year’s Bennie and Candle honorees include:  

• Leadership: Dale E. Jones ’82 – CEO, Magna Vista Partners; Morehouse College Trustee 

• Service: The Rev. Dr. Aaron L. Parker ’75 – Pastor, Zion Hill Baptist Church, Associate Professor in the Philosophy and Religion Department at Morehouse College 

• Achievement: John David Washington ’06 – Golden Globe-Nominated Actor and Producer 

• Lifetime Achievement in Business and Philanthropy: Raymond J. McGuire – CEO of Lazard  

• Achievement in Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy: Mack Wilbourn – Owner and President of Mack II, Inc., Entrepreneur, Community Leader, Philanthropist 

• Founders Day Convocation: Thursday, February 15, 10:45 a.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel with Judge Penny Brown Reynolds, Ph.D., J.D., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, leading the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in the United States Department of Agriculture.  

• Soul Symphony Concert: Friday, February 16, 2024, 8:00 p.m. at…