April 27, 2013 - May 3, 2013, The Afro-American B1

AFRO columnist Valerie Fraling with Dr. Charlene Cooper-Boston

An early laugh with Rev. Douglas Sands

An embrace for Sen. Ben Cardin

Betty Stemley Sconion represented the judge's law clerks

Cerissa O'Neal and J. Wyndal Gordon

Dean Phoebe Haddon with Prof. Leland Ware, left and Prof. Larry Gibson

Dr. Lenneal Henderson, University of Baltimore

Dr. Ruthe Sheffey, former Morgan English professor

Judge Alexander Wright and his wife, Marcia

Judge Bell looks on with amazement at the figurine of himself presented by Judge Marcia Holland

Judge Bell with Dr. Sarah Garrett and Prof. Larry Gibson

Judge Bell with Rev. Alvin Hathaway Sr. and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

Judge Irma Raker (retired), Court of Appeals of Md.

Justice Kashini Zannah, chief judge, Borno State High Court of Justice

Law Links participant, Tiffani Kennedy

Morgan President David Wilson and former president Earl Richardson

The panel includes Prof. Gilbert Holmes, University of Baltimore; Dr. Debra Newman Hamm, Morgan State University and Prof. Leland Ware, University of Delaware

Prof. Byron Warnken, University of Baltimore Law School

Prof. Jose Anderson, University of Baltimore Law School

Rep. Elijah Cummings

Sen. Barbara Mikulski

Sen. Ben Cardin

Sunny Hostin, CNN legal analyst and ABC news anchor, served as the evening's host

Judge Bell is presented with a replica of one of his favorite poems, “The Guy in the Glass,” written by Dale Wimbrow

More than 1,200 people were on hand April 18 at the Baltimore Hilton for a retirement dinner to celebrate the career and contributions of the Honorable Robert M. Bell, chief judge of the Court of Appeals of Maryland.

The guest list was a veritable Who’s Who in Maryland law and politics: Gov. Martin O’Malley, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake, Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin and U.S. Rep Elijah Cummings, who drew thunderous applause

when he discussed Bell’s place in history. Musical selections, including a rousing rendition of “Lift

Ev’ry Voice,” the Black National Anthem, were provided by the Morgan State University Choir, the judge’s favorite musical group.

Guests feasted on salmon, stuffed chicken and cheesecake as speaker after speaker paid homage to Bell, who first came to fame as a high school student fighting for civil rights and rose to become the first African American in Maryland history to serve as chief judge of the state Court of Appeals.

Photos by J.D. Howard

Relatives of Judge Bell

April 27, 2013 - May 3, 2013, The Afro-American B1

Honoree Donte Adams, Tyrone Couey and special award recipient, Michael Sawyers

Honorees

Honoree and keynote speaker David Hinson

Honorees Dr. Jim Lin-Chi, Angela Franco, David Hinson and Sharada Singh

Honorees Karyn Collins, Angela Moody and Deborah Scott Thomas

Mistress of Ceremonies Phyllis Cunningham, president/CEO, Destiny Mapping LLC

Honorees Terrez Marriott Thompson, Dr. Gregory Ibe and Christopher Che

Calvin Butler, executive vice president, BGE; honoree, Pepco President Thomas Graham and David Owens, executive vice president, Business Operations Group

Honorees Joseph Young, Daniel Zubairi and Ravinder Singh

Honorees Barbara Lang, Thomas Graham and Kingsley Obaji

Honorees Rina Parikfh, Gene Waddy and Royalyn Reid

Guests at the opening reception

Claudine Adams, co-owner, ACET

Oatice Thomas, Honoree Deborah Scott Thomas and Conrad and Diana Parker

Lamont Hames, Gewa Waddy, Ken Tolson and Rev. Dr. George Holmes

President and vice president of MEA Magazine, Sunny Ezeji and Debra Williams

Photos by Rob Roberts

MEA Magazine hosted the 50 Most Powerful U.S./International Business Executives Awards Gala 2013 at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. on Mar. 27. The event chair was Claudine Adams, co-owner of Adams Communications & Engineering Technology (ACET) in Waldorf, Md. Hosting the event was Lamont Hames, chief development officer, UNCF Special Programs Corporation and Angelique Westerfield, executive producer, African Diaspora Today WVON am 1690. There

was a special recognition to President Obama. David Hinson, national director, U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency was the keynote speaker. MEA Magazine is a business tool for small/minority, women and veteran-owned businesses.

The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge and the Georgiana Thomas Grand Chapter, in conjunction with the Prince Hall Freemasons and Eastern Star Charitable Foundation sponsored the first D.C. Prince Hall Masonic Classic recently held at Howard University’s Burr Gymnasium, where the Howard University Bison played the Coppin State College Eagles. The Honorable John T. Doles Sr. Most Worshipful Grand Master’s theme is “Strengthening Our Bond with the Community.” The purpose of the classic is to provide higher education

scholarships and to foster positive relations within the community. A champagne reception followed the event. During halftime, the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Grand Worthy Matron Barbara E. Murray and Grand Worthy Patron Thomas L. Coleman presented the Howard University sophomore students Marissa Gentry and Marvin Moore each with $5,000 scholarships. Their family, friends and school officials were present to witness them receiving the first D.C. Prince Hall Masonic Classic scholarships.

By Shari L. McCoy/ Courtesy photos

Committee members: Shari L. McCoy, Tanya Slaughter, Lavern Hines-Smith and Kelli J. McCoy-Burkett

Most Worshipful Grand Master Melvin Thorpe (jurisdiction of Maryland), Past Grand Worthy Matron Margaret E. Anderson, Most Worshipful Grand Master John T. Doles (jurisdiction of the District of Columbia), Grand Worthy Matron Barbara E. Murray, Grand Worthy Patron Thomas L. Coleman, Past Grand Worthy Matron Jane Robinson Levant, and Right Worshipful Junior Grand Warden Quincy G. Gant

Most Worshipful Grand Master John T. Doles, Grand Worthy Matron Barbara E. Murray, Grand Worthy Patron Thomas L. Coleman pictured with the Phyllis S. Byrd Youth Fraternity and Order of Knight of Pythagoras

Platinum sponsors: Past Patron Kenneth Pough, Worshipful Assistant Grand Chaplain. Ahmad Reed, Past Grand Worthy Matron Margaret E. Anderson, Worthy Matron Shari L. McCoy, Past Matron Kelli J. McCoy-Burkett, Associate Grand Matron Venecia C. Bessellieu, Worthy Matron Shirley Evans Cooley, Worshipful Junior Grand Steward Alvin Smith, and Dr. Marjay Anderson

Most Worshipful Grand Master John T. Doles, Grand Worthy Matron Barbara E. Murray and Grand Worthy Matron Thomas L. Coleman presenting $5,000 scholarships to Howard University students Marissa Gentry and Marvin Moore and their parents

Members of the Prince Hall Masonic Family cheering on Howard University during the D.C. Prince Hall Masonic Classic basketball game against Coppin State.