By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times
Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. has been named recipient of the prestigious 2025 Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) announced this morning.
The award represents BCRI’s highest honor, bestowed upon national and international leaders advancing justice, equality, and human dignity.
As Attorney General under President Barack Obama, Holder prioritized Civil Rights enforcement, took bold steps to protect voting rights, reduced sentencing disparities, and addressed systemic inequities in the justice system. His tenure was marked by efforts to defend marriage equality and challenge voter suppression.
Today, Holder continues to champion democracy as Chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), ensuring fair maps and protecting every citizen’s right to vote. His life’s work reflects principled leadership and the enduring fight for Civil Rights.
Holder will be recognized during the BCRI’s 33rd Anniversary Celebration on Thursday, December 11, 2025 at the downtown Sheraton Hotel. This milestone occasion themed “Defending Legacy” will bring together foot soldiers, students, educators, civic and business leaders and partners from across the country to celebrate BCRI’s mission.
“Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth paved the way for progress so that generations to come could walk in freedom. To be recognized by an organization that carries forward his legacy of unyielding courage and resolve is profoundly humbling,” said Holder. “It is also a reminder that the work of advancing civil and human rights is never finished and cannot be accomplished alone. Together, we must ensure that the progress Rev. Shuttlesworth fought for does not become a footnote in history, but instead stands as a promise for a better future.”
The Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award recognizes individuals whose courage and leadership in promoting civil and human rights honor the legacy of Mr. Shuttlesworth, one of the pivotal figures of the Civil Rights Movement and a co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
Established in 2002, the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award serves as an enduring tribute to Rev. Shuttlesworth’s legacy of leadership, courage, and conviction. This award is a public recommitment to the values that defined Shuttlesworth’s life and Birmingham’s pivotal role in the global fight for justice.
“Eric Holder’s lifelong commitment to equity, justice, and the rule of law embodies the spirit and enduring impact of Rev. Shuttlesworth’s legacy,” says Rosilyn Houston, Board Chair, BCRI. “For 33 years, BCRI has carried the torch of those who dared to demand justice. Yet that light flickers in an age when truth itself is being challenged. Honoring Eric Holder, Jr. is more than recognition, it’s a recommitment to our shared duty to educate, to remember, and to act. His life’s work affirms why this Institute must endure.”
Previous winners have included Richard Arrington, Birmingham’s first Black mayor; Fred Gray, an attorney who played a significant role in Civil Rights cases; the late John Lewis; prominent Civil Rights leader and congressman; Danny Glover, an actor and activist; Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery and Shuttlesworth.
To learn more about the BCRI’s 33rd Anniversary event, visit www.bcri.org/bcri-33rd-anniversary.
