Viola Davis and the Lebron James Foundation Among Honorees at The King Center’s 2026 Beloved Community Awards
The King Center’s Beloved Community Awards Gala will be held on Saturday, January 17th at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Atlanta.
HOSTS
Aldis Hodge
(Actor)
INDIVIDUAL HONOREES
Viola Davis
(Actor/Producer)
Coretta Scott King Soul of the Nation Award
Billie Eilish
(Artist/Songwriter)
Environmental Justice Award
Robert F. Smith
(Founder, Chairman and CEO, Vista Equity Partners)
Salute to Greatness Humanitarian Award
Dr. Dorothy Jean Tillman
(Founder and CEO, The Dorothy Jenius Steam Leadership Institute)
Youth Influencer Award (Individual)
Dr. Dushun Scarbrough Sr.
Executive Director of the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission
Civic Leadership Award
PERFORMERS
Chance the Rapper
October London
Goapele
PRESENTER
Rockmond Dunbar
(Actor)
Karine Jean-Pierre
(Former White House Press Secretary)
Ian Armitage
(Actor)
Keisha Knight Pulliam
(Actor)
CORPORATE HONOREES
The Lebron James Family Foundation
Accepted by Gloria James, mother of Lebron James
Youth Influencer Award (Corporate)
Sesame Workshop
Accepted by Valerie Mitchell Johnston
(Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Sesame Workshops)
Christine King Farris Legacy of Service in Education Award
Cisco
Accepted by Brian Tippens, SVP, Chief Social Impact & Inclusion Officer
Salute to Greatness Corporate Social Impact Award
For more information, registration, ticket purchase, and up-to-date details about KHO 2026, please visit King Holiday 2026 – The King Center.
To request request media credentials, email David Robinson at david@thedavidbrand.com.
About The King Center
The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King. The King Center is the official living memorial and programmatic nonprofit organization committed to educating the world on the life, legacy, and teachings of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The King Center serves to inspire new generations to carry forward his unfinished work, strengthen causes and empower change-makers who are continuing his efforts today. The King Center’s premiere educational initiative, Nonviolence365®, is based on Dr. King’s nonviolent philosophy and methodology. His teachings engage participants from various sectors of society, including emerging and next generation leaders, in modules and exercises that enhance communication, leadership, interpersonal and conflict reconciliation skills. For more information, please visit www.thekingcenter.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS
David Robinson
david@thedavidbrand.com
Mina Bryant
mbryant@thekingcenter.org















