June 12, 2014
DENVER – The ACLU of Colorado is excited to announce that Laura Rovner, Bob Connelly, and the late Dr. Vincent Harding have been selected to receive our 2014 Civil Rights Awards, which will be presented at the Annual Carle Whitehead Bill of Rights Dinner on Friday, October 17th.
The family of Dr. Harding, who sadly passed away on May 19, 2014, will accept the Carle Whitehead Memorial Award in recognition of his lifetime of achievement in advancing civil rights and civil liberties.
Dr. Harding worked throughout his life for what he called "the expansion of democracy,” beginning with work in the Southern Freedom Movement in the 1960s and continuing through his tenure as Chair of the Veterans of Hope Project, based at the Iliff School of Theology. Dr. Harding was also a close associate and speech writer for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Laura Rovner will receive the Edward Sherman Award for her outstanding legal work as the Director of the University of Denver’s Civil Rights Law Clinic, and Bob Connelly will receive the Martha Radetsky Award for his many years of service and dedication as a board member of the ACLU of Colorado.
Ms. Rovner founded the active movement in Colorado to end solitary confinement of the mentally ill. As Director of the University of Denver’s Civil Rights Law Clinic, she takes on complex legal cases, while also simultaneously training law students to become civil rights lawyers. She is also recognized as one of the nation’s foremost prisoners’ rights attorneys and as a solitary confinement legal expert.
Mr. Connelly’s years of dedicated board service have helped the ACLU of Colorado become a mature, successful organization. He was critical to our growth and development over his six years on the board.
This year’s Carle Whitehead Bill of Rights Dinner will be held on Friday, October 17th at The Four Seasons Hotel in Downtown Denver. For more information about the event, purchasing tickets, or becoming a sponsor, please contact Rachel Pryor-Lease at 720-402-3105 or [email protected].