Candace Award
The Candace Award is an award that was given from 1982 to 1992 by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women to "Black role models of uncommon distinction who have set a standard of excellence for young people of all races". Candace was the ancient Ethiopian title for queen or empress. "Candace, queen of the Ethiopians" is mentioned in the Bible: Philip meets "a eunuch of great authority" under her reign and converts him to Christianity. The awards ceremony was held each year at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
The award was established in 1982 as part of an effort to increase recognition of the achievements of Black intellectuals. The award was given annually to several women and one man in select categories including arts and letters, business, community service, economic development, education, health, science, history, and technology. Sponsorship was provided by The Paddington Corporation and then by AT&T. Tiffany & Co. customized engraved crystal for the awards ceremony. The President of the NCBW, Jewell Jackson McCabe, founded the award.
Recipients 1982–1992
The following people received the Candace Award between 1982 and 1992.| Year | Recipient | Category | Note |
| 1989 | Margaret Walker Alexander | Letters | |
| 1990 | Maya Angelou | Letters | |
| 1983 | Gloria Jackson Bacon | Health | Founder and director of a not-for-profit clinic in Chicago |
| 1984 | Ella Baker | Civil Rights Activist | |
| 1983 | Etta Moten Barnett | Letters | |
| 1992 | Kathleen Battle | ||
| 1984 | Daisy Bates | Civil Rights Activist | |
| 1990 | Derrick Bell | Distinguished Service | |
| 1984 | Mary Bell | Communications | First black woman to head a broadcasting company |
| 1982 | Lerone Bennett, Jr. | History | |
| 1983 | Antoinette Bianchi | Technology | Founder of electronics firms in Maryland and Florida |
| 1983 | Selma Burke | Art | |
| 1986 | Mary Schmidt Campbell | Art | |
| 1986 | Alexa Canady | Science | |
| 1991 | Elizabeth Catlett | ||
| 1984 | Leah Lange Chase | Business | New Orleans chef and restaurateur |
| 1983 | Mamie Phipps Clark | Humanitarianism | |
| 1982 | Jewel Plummer Cobb | Education | |
| 1988 | Johnnetta B. Cole | Education | |
| 1987 | Johnnie Colemon | Theology | |
| 1989 | Janet Collins | Arts | |
| 1983 | Mattie Cook | Community Service | President of Malcolm-King Harlem College Extension in Harlem |
| 1992 | Camille Cosby | ||
| 1989 | Patricia Cowings | Science/Technology | |
| 1989 | Carolyn Craven | Journalism | Reporter on KQED-TV |
| 1987 | Christine Mann Darden | Technology | |
| 1992 | Julie Dash | ||
| 1986 | Eloise DeLaine | Technology | Specialist in aviation medicine |
| 1983 | Suzanne de Passe | Business | |
| 1989 | Suzanne de Passe | Trailblazer | |
| 1986 | Helen O. Dickens | Health | |
| 1991 | Sharon Pratt Dixon | ||
| 1988 | Beulah Mae Donald | Civil Rights | Mother of Michael Donald; successfully sued the Ku Klux Klan |
| 1990 | Hazel N. Dukes | Community Service | |
| 1984 | Patricia A. Duncanson | Economic Development | President of an electrical contracting company |
| 1987 | Katherine Dunham | Trailblazer | |
| 1982 | Marian Wright Edelman | Community Service | |
| 1982 | Helen G. Edmonds | History | First black woman to second the nomination for a US presidential candidate |
| 1991 | Joycelyn Elders | ||
| 1982 | Doris A. Evans | Health and Science | Pediatrician; "community innovator and philanthropist" |
| 1988 | Michael A. Figures | Civil Rights | Alabama state senator; prosecuted KKK members in lynching |
| 1991 | Ann M. Fudge | ||
| 1992 | Vicki L. Fuller | Wall Street executive | |
| 1983 | Mary Hatwood Futrell | Education | Educator, president of the NEA |
| 1988 | Althea Gibson | Trailblazer | |
| 1984 | Paula Giddings | History | |
| 1987 | Cheryl Glass | Trailblazer | First black female American racing driver |
| 1982 | Bonnie Guiton | Business | First black woman to serve in the cabinet of a California governor |
| 1989 | Beverly Guy-Sheftall | Education | |
| 1990 | Clara M. Hale | Humanitarian | |
| 1991 | Ruth Wright Hayre | President of the Philadelphia Board of Education | |
| 1986 | Dorothy I. Height | Distinguished Service | |
| 1986 | Freddye S. Henderson | Business | Pioneered the promotion of travel and tourism to Africa |
| 1988 | Vy Higginsen | Business | Founder of the Mama Foundation for the Arts |
| 1988 | Charlayne Hunter-Gault | Journalism | |
| 1992 | Hal Jackson | ||
| 1982 | Shirley Ann Jackson | Technology | |
| 1990 | Judith Jamison | Dancer and choreographer, Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | |
| 1989 | John H. Johnson | Distinguished Service | |
| 1987 | Pam McAllister Johnson | Communications | President and publisher of the Ithaca Journal |
| 1984 | Hazel Johnson-Brown | Health | |
| 1992 | Leonade Jones | Treasurer for the Washington Post Co. | |
| 1987 | Coretta Scott King | Distinguished Service | |
| 1983 | Jewel Lafontant | Distinguished Service | |
| 1990 | Barbara Lamont | Business | First black woman to own a television station |
| 1992 | Queen Latifah | ||
| 1990 | Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot | Education | |
| 1983 | LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. | Science | |
| 1983 | Ruth Love | Education | |
| 1982 | Lois Mailou Jones | Arts and Letters | |
| 1986 | Maida Springer Kemp | Labor | |
| 1991 | Brian Lanker | ||
| 1991 | Jennifer Lawson | PBS executive vice president | |
| 1982 | Claudine B. Malone | Economic Development | CEO of consulting firm; named Ebony No. 1 Black Director in 1997 |
| 1988 | Winnie Mandela | Distinguished Service | |
| 1992 | Joan McCarley | Co-founder of Grandma's House, the first residential facility for HIV-infected children in the U.S. | |
| 1991 | La-Doris McClaney | Los Angeles real-estate executive and philanthropist | |
| 1990 | Gay J. McDougall | International Affairs | |
| 1989 | Gina Barclay McLaughlin | Community Service | Child development specialist |
| 1986 | Mable Parker McLean | Education | First female president of Barber-Scotia College |
| 1992 | Michel McQueen | ||
| 1982 | Sybil C. Mobley | Economic Development | |
| 1984 | Undine S. Moore | Education | |
| 1992 | Sybil Hayden Morial | Community activist and dean of Xavier University's Drexel Center | |
| 1984 | Constance Baker Motley | Distinguished Service | |
| 1982 | Diane Powell Murray | Technology | Mathematician |
| 1986 | Gloria Naylor | Letters | |
| 1986 | Nell Irvin Painter | History | |
| 1990 | Euzhan Palcy | Trailblazer | |
| 1984 | Rosa L. Parks | Civil Rights Activist | |
| 1984 | Jennie R. Patrick | Science and Technology | |
| 1986 | Frederick D. Patterson | Trailblazer | |
| 1988 | Ethel L. Payne | Trailblazer | |
| 1982 | Flaxie Madison Pinkett | Business | Civic leader, philanthropist |
| 1990 | Vivian Pinn | Science | |
| 1991 | Bernice Johnson Reagon | ||
| 1989 | Condoleezza Rice | International Affairs | |
| 1984 | Faith Ringgold | Arts and Letters | |
| 1982 | Rachel Robinson | Distinguished Service | |
| 1986 | Rose Mary Sanders, Esq. | Law | First black female judge in Alabama |
| 1992 | Hazle J. Shorter | First black woman physician in the corporate history of DuPont | |
| 1992 | Jessie Carney Smith | Black history scholar and author | |
| 1982 | Jeanne Sinkford | Health and Science | |
| 1992 | Percy Sutton | ||
| 1992 | Debbie Tate | Co-founder of Grandma's House, the first residential facility for HIV-infected children in the U.S. | |
| 1986 | Susan L. Taylor | Communications | |
| 1986 | Debi Thomas | Trailblazer | |
| 1983 | Rosina Tucker | Labor | |
| 1986 | Nomalizo Leah Tutu | Humanitarianism | Wife of Desmond Tutu; advocate for rights of women and workers |
| 1988 | Cicely Tyson | Distinguished Service | |
| 1982 | Alice Walker | Arts and Letters | |
| 1983 | Patricia Walker-Shaw | Economic Development | |
| 1988 | Mary Helen Washington | History | Black history scholar |
| 1992 | Maxine Waters | ||
| 1989 | Mary Lee Widener | Economic Development | CEO and President of Neighborhood Housing Services of America |
| 1984 | Eddie N. Williams | Public Service | Public affairs specialist |
| 1983 | Sylvia Williams | History | |
| 1987 | Barbara J. Wilson | Business | First black woman auto dealer |
| 1988 | Donna Wood | Arts and Letters | Lead dancer in Alvin Ailey Company |
| 1982 | Sara-Alyce Wright | Community Service | First black executive director of the YWCA |