N.C. Rep. Alma Adams Awarded N.C. A&T Human Rights Medal

N.C. Rep. Alma Adams Awarded N.C. A&T Human Rights Medal

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Jan. 31, 2020) - Two-time North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alumna and U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, is the university’s 2020 Human Rights Medal Recipient.

The award is presented to an individual who has had a positive impact on correcting social injustices and other humanitarian activities such as human welfare and social reform, acts of heroism, promotion of fellowship, dedication to technological discovery, academic advancements or contributions, diplomatic endeavors and community contributions.

“Thank you for this medal. I am honored to receive it. Let us continue to progress and move toward the future,” said Adams on her receipt of the award.

Adams was elected to her third term representing the 12th Congressional District of North Carolina on Nov. 6, 2018. She serves on the House Committees for Education and Labor, Financial Services and Agriculture; is the chairwoman of Higher Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections and is vice chairwoman of the Agriculture Committee.

Beginning her political career and lifetime commitment to effecting social change, as a Greensboro, North Carolina, schoolboard member, she began serving at the state level in 1994, when she was appointed to serve in the North Carolina House District 26 seat. She went on to serve 10 terms in the state House. A pioneer of the Displaced Homemakers Bill, Adams successfully spearheaded the state’s first minimum wage increase in nine years.

More recently, Adams is the founder and co-chair of the first Congressional Bipartisan Historically Black College or University Caucus. Additionally, she helped launch the Black Maternal Health Caucus in Congress to draw attention to the issue of the African American maternal and infant health crisis.

In addition to receiving graduate and undergraduate degrees at N.C. A&T, Adams earned her Ph.D. in art education and multicultural education from The Ohio State University.

The Human Rights Medal is awarded in honor of the extraordinary action against social injustice by the A&T Four – Jibreel Khazan (Ezell Blair Jr.), Franklin Eugene McCain, Joseph Alfred McNeil and David Richmond Jr. The four freshmen initiated a “sit-in” on Feb. 1, 1960, at a whites-only lunch counter at Woolworth’s department store. The sit-in resulted in similar protests across the state as well as the country.