TMSF 18th Anniversary Awards Dinner Draws Top Celebrity Participants

TMSF 18th Anniversary Awards Dinner Draws Top Celebrity Participants

Angela Bassett to Serve as Mistress of Ceremonies

Stars of Film, Television and Stage to Serve as Presenters

NEW YORK, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund Inc.'s 18th Anniversary Awards Dinner and Gala has attracted a range of film, television and theatre stars who will participate in the gala's ceremonies on Monday, November 7 at 7:00 p.m.

Award-winning actress Angela Bassett is serving as Mistress of Ceremonies for the black-tie gala, which will be held at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers and will be attended by more than 1600 national business leaders, civic leaders, educators and celebrities. Actresses Lynn Whitfield and Sheryl Lee Ralph, who served as the gala's Mistress of Ceremonies in 2000 and 2002 respectively, are also scheduled to attend.

The celebrity participants in the gala's show include veteran actress Diahann Carroll, who served as the gala's Mistress of Ceremonies in 2003 and 2004. The celebrities who will be serving as presenters include James Avery ("The Closer" and formerly the star of "Family Matters"); Nick Cannon (Currently appearing in the film "Roll Bounce" and host of MTV's "Wild Style"); Hill Harper ("CSI: NY"); Keisha Knight Pulliam (Motion pictures "Beauty Shop," "The Gospel," "The Last Dragon"); and Jesse L. Martin ("Law & Order," and the film "Rent").

Other celebrities scheduled to attend the gala include Nicolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson (Ashford & Simpson); actor Keith Davis; Roberta Flack; comedian/actor Steve Harvey; recording artists Freddie Jackson and Melissa Morgan; the Rev. Al Sharpton and Dionne Warwick.

The TMSF Leadership Awards, the organization's highest honors, are bestowed to four individuals in recognition of their demonstrated commitment to advancing higher education, supporting public Historically Black Colleges and universities (HBCUs), promoting diversity and for exemplary leadership in their respective professions.

To learn more about the 18th Anniversary Awards Dinner, visit the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund at http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/.

The Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, Inc., named for the late U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice, is the only national organization of its type that provides merit-based scholarships and programmatic support to students attending the nation's public historically black colleges and universities. The organization also provides capacity building support to its 47 member schools. Since its inception in 1987, the Fund has awarded more than $50 million in scholarships and programmatic and capacity support, enabling more than 5,000 students to attend public Historically Black Colleges and Universities. TMSF also provides internship programs and joins corporate and foundation partners in providing leadership training and support to students preparing for undergraduate and professional schools. TMSF is a 501(c) 3, tax- exempt organization.

Source: Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, Inc.

CONTACT: Cheryl Gentry of Glow Media New York, +1-212-239-2455; or
Jennifer Jiles of TMSF, +1-770-840-6339

Web site: http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/

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