Urban League Salutes a Star Humanitarian

“I got it mixed up. I thought it was the ‘Earvin League,’ that’s why I’m here,” honoree Denzel Washington joked to the crowd at the Los Angeles Urban League’s 24th Annual Whitney M. Young Jr. Award dinner Thursday night at the Century Plaza Hotel.

He was referring to his good friend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who had just paid eloquent tribute to Washington, who was being recognized as an activist and humanitarian, not just a silver screen superstar.

Washington revealed he had an especially personal reason to agree to be the main attraction of this dinner. “The Urban League gave me the first job I ever had in Los Angeles,” he said, recalling how he came to this city from New York, via San Francisco, in 1978 with just $30 and had to find work. The Urban League found him a job teaching acting in a local school.

“They opened their arms to me immediately and gave me true follow-up support, so, as I said then to the Urban League, ‘Thank you,’ 19 years later I say, ‘Thank you,’ again,” Washington concluded as he accepted the award.

Johnson didn’t know Washington 19 years ago, but they have become good friends since. “Our wives, Pauletta [Washington] and Cookie [Johnson], work out together, our kids go to the same school where we recently headed up the entertainment committee together, we attend the same church, he’s rented a house in my community,” Johnson said, as he rushed in late to join the party.

Later, up at the microphone, Johnson continued to express his fondness for Washington, noting the appropriateness of the award presented in memory of Young, who wrote books including “To Be Equal” and “Beyond Racism.” “Denzel rose above racism and now he is equal to any actor there is--and his paycheck says that,” Johnson said.

Expressions of affection, despite political differences, were displayed all evening in hugs, handshakes and joshing as about 1,700 of the city’s movers and shakers found common ground for a good cause, raising $1 million for Urban League programs under the theme “A Child Is the Root of the Heart.”

Mayor Richard Riordan; L.A. Police Chief Willie L. Williams; former Mayor Tom Bradley; dinner chairman M. L. Keith, regional president of GTE; and the Los Angeles Urban League’s chairman, George G. Golleher, and president, John W. Mack, lined up at the head table for introductions.

“If I’m ever reincarnated I want to come back with the bishop’s voice,” said Riordan acknowledging that Bishop E. Lynn Brown’s commanding oratory would have a better chance of getting audience attention than his soft tones.

“For those of you who started eating before the invocation, I hope it goes down smoothly,” Brown boomed to the noisy crowd, who dined on cheese and eggplant salad, a mixed plate of shrimp, steak and lamb chops, followed by a rich coffee and chocolate dessert, before being entertained by the R&B; sounds of the Whispers, who started singing together in Watts three decades ago.