2019 Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner

The 2019 Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner honored BakerRipley and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS). HMH presents the Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award to individuals who have taken a stand against injustice, hatred and prejudice, and used their skills and influence to make a better world for all people.

Founded as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society in 1881 to assist Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe, HIAS has touched the lives of nearly every Jewish family in America and today assists vulnerable refugees in countries around the world. Accepting their award was HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield.

Bringing resources, education and connection to emerging neighborhoods, BakerRipley (formerly Neighborhood Centers) has had a transformative impact on numerous underserved communities for more than 112 years, benefiting our entire region with an improved quality of life. Accepting the award on behalf of BakerRipley were BakerRipley President and CEO Claudia Aguirre and BakerRipley Volunteer Susan Baker. The Honorable James A. Baker, III, whose grandmother founded the organization, provided a congratulatory video message.

Honorary Chairs

Dinner Chairs

Host Committee Chairs

Host Committee

Holocaust Museum Houston created the Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award in 1994 in cooperation with the Johnson family. In 1938, as a young congressman, Johnson stretched the limits of his authority and risked his personal dreams to provide American sanctuary for threatened European Jews. It is because of these acts of moral courage that the Museum proudly named the award in his honor. The award recognizes either a single righteous act or a lifetime of morally courageous behavior.