Call for Nominations
Nominate a deserving member of the greater Springfield community today. Deadline: March 31, 2024.
About the Ubora and Ahadi Awards
The Ubora Award is presented by the African Hall Committee to an African American adult who has demonstrated a commitment to the Greater Springfield area and exhibited excellence in the fields of community service, education, science, humanities or the arts. The Swahili word ubora means “excellence.”
Named for the Swahili word for “promise,” the Ahadi Youth Award is presented to a young African American who has excelled in academics and performed admirable service to the Greater Springfield community. Eligible candidates must be age 19 or younger, live in or have strong ties to the Greater Springfield area, and be currently enrolled in grades 10, 11 or 12.
The African Hall Committee is a volunteer group comprised of educators, business people and community leaders from the African-American community.
The Ubora and Ahadi Awards are presented at a ceremony at the Springfield Museums each September.
African Hall Committee
- Terry Powe (Trustee), Chairperson
- Gwendolyn Miller, Vice Chairperson
- Linda Alston
- Nikki Burnett
- Andrew Cade
- Cynthia Campbell (Trustee)
- Helen Caulton-Harris (Trustee)
- Tyrone Denson
- Samuel Hanmer (Trustee)
- Dr. Anthony C. Hill
- Dr. Calvin R. Hill
- Dr. Yolanda Johnson
- Denise R. Jordan
- Adrienne Osborn
- Sylvia Humphrey-Spann, member emerita
- Dr. Ruth S. Njiiri, member emerita
Past Honorees
Click on the award winner’s name to read their biography.
Ubora Award
1992 Maestro Raymond Harvey
1993 Dr. Bryant Robinson
1994 Mrs. Jeanne Bass
1995 Alexander B. Mapp & Taj Mahal
1996 Mrs. Bettye Webb & Dr. Howland Kennedy
1997 Dr. Albert C. Pryor, Jr.
1998 Mrs. Josephine Edmonds
1999 Mr. Chester Gibbs
2000 Mr. Arthur Jones
2001 Mr. W. Robert McDonald, Sr.
2002 Mrs. Barbara Jefferson
2003 The Honorable Raymond A. Jordan, Jr.
2004 Jesse and Barbara Lanier
2005 Mr. Ronald E. Harrell
2006 Mrs. Janet Troutman-Simmons
2007 Ms. Denise R. Jordan
2008 Mrs. Allyson Gouzounis
2009 Mr. Ronald A. Copes
2010 Ms. Zelmon “Zee” Johnson
2011 Dr. Albert and Mrs. Geraldine Garner
2012 Mr. E. Henry Twiggs
2013 Bob and Katie Glasgow
2014 Jerald “Jay” Griffin
2015 Henry Thomas
2016 Helen Caulton-Harris
2017 Benjamin Swan
2018 Keshawn Dodds
2019 Andrew R. Cade
2020 Bud L. Williams
2021 Robert “Cee” Jackson
2022 Dr. Gerald “Bruce” Cutting and Carol Moore Cutting
2023 Lisa J. Green, Ph.D.
Ubora Emerita
Ahadi Award
2009 Myles Postell-Reynolds
2010 Monique Farrell
2011 Bria Brantley
2012 Dana Adrianna Lawes
2013 Raekwon Wheeler
2015 Victor Adaji
2016 David Bass, Jr.
2017 A’Shaela Chaires
2018 Karissa Coleman
2019 Michael Denson, Jr.
2020 Kareem Wedderburn
2021 Tigist Dawit Terefe
2022 Kayla Staley
2023 Catherine Thompson