United Negro College Fund Raises $15 Million During an Evening of Stars Tribute to Stevie Wonder

United Negro College Fund Raises $15 Million During an Evening of Stars Tribute to Stevie Wonder

UNCF Announces the Lou Rawls Lifetime Achievement Award

FAIRFAX, Va., Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) kicked off the New Year with its annual fund-raising gala, An Evening of Stars(R) Tribute to Stevie Wonder, which aired nationwide in over 65 markets and raised $15,440,759.

This year's show honored Stevie Wonder for his continuous support of the organization's mission. Stevie Wonder received one of UNCF's greatest honors- a nationally-televised all-star tribute for his contributions to the music industry and for his role as a global humanitarian and philanthropist. Since its inception, the program has raised over $200 million to help deserving students gain access to higher education. An Evening of Stars(R) aired on January 6th, 7th and 8th, across the country.

The four-hour special featured some of the hottest talent in the entertainment industry including Fantasia, Maroon 5, India.Arie, Toni Braxton, actress Ruby Dee, CSI's Gary Dourdan, The Wire's Idris Elba, Vivica A. Fox, rap master Doug E. Fresh, Terrence D. Howard and many more.

"Stevie Wonder has been at the forefront of UNCF's efforts to raise money for deserving students through An Evening of Stars(R), and we are proud that he is this year's honoree," said Michael Lomax, Ph.D., UNCF's president and CEO. "Stevie has contributed a great deal to the music industry, so this tribute was much deserved and highly anticipated," he continued.

An Evening of Stars(R) offered an in-depth view of UNCF's mission to provide opportunities for deserving students to fulfill their dream of a college education. The program also provided a series of compelling portraits and personal testimonials highlighting the many success stories of the students and alumni from UNCF's member colleges and universities.

This broadcast of An Evening of Stars(R) was one of the last public appearances of Lou Rawls, who had a long-time affiliation with UNCF. An Evening of Stars(R) first aired in 1979 as the Lou Rawls Parade of Stars, and has become one of the longest running and most successful televised events in U.S. history. In 2004, Rawls was the tribute honoree during the 25th airing of An Evening of Stars(R) recognizing his efforts for conceiving the program in 1979. UNCF recently announced the creation of the Lou Rawls Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be given annually to a popular artist whose career reflects the quality of commitment to UNCF and its mission that was Rawls' hallmark.

"Lou used his talent and energy to help young African Americans get the education they need and deserve. Tens of thousands of college-educated men and women are the beneficiaries of his dedication and enormous generosity," said Dr. Lomax. "Twenty-seven years ago, Lou was one of the first entertainers to understand the power of celebrity to do good. Although Lou was ill at the time of the taping, participating in this annual UNCF event was something he wanted to do. Here again, we saw Lou's commitment to helping students advance their dream of a college education."

An Evening of Stars(R) is broadcast nationally and supported by major corporations such as this year's national sponsors, American Airlines, McDonald's, Target, Prudential Financial, Toyota and Wachovia. Emmy Award- winner Louis J. Horvitz returned as the show's director and executive producer. The show was broadcasted by ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, WB, and UPN network affiliates. In addition, it aired on BET and the WGN Superstation allowing over 91 percent of the nation to view this year's tribute.

United Negro College Fund

As the nation's oldest and most successful minority higher education assistance organization, the United Negro College Fund's mission is to increase minority degree attainment by providing financial support to its 39 member institutions and reducing financial barriers to college. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 25 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers nearly 450 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship programs, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 65,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country. For more information about UNCF, visit http://www.uncf.org/.

Source: United Negro College Fund

CONTACT: UNCF Communications, +1-703-205-3404

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

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