Bill Cosby wins Marian Anderson Award

This will be the eleventh Marian Anderson award, given to people such as Harry Belafonte and Oprah Winfrey. The 2010 award will be given at a ceremony in April.

Bill Cosby will be the recipient of the Marian Anderson Award this spring. The Philadelphia-based award honoring artists for their humanitarian work will be given to the comedian who grew up in Philadelphia and attended Temple University. This is the first time the award will be given to someone raised in Philadelphia.

Listen:
[audio: 091222pccosby.mp3]

This will be the eleventh Marian Anderson award, given to people such as Harry Belafonte and Oprah Winfrey. The 2010 award will be given at a ceremony in April.

Bill Cosby not only grew up in Philadelphia but returns regularly. The chairwoman of the Marian Anderson Award – Pamela Browner White – says Cosby was chosen because he has used his fame and comedic art to to draw attention to education and literacy issues.

Browner White: In Philadelphia forget how remarkable he is in the world – because he’s always here with us. He’s not someone who has gone away and lived blissfully in retirement – he says things he needs to say. Sometimes he says things only he can say.

Bill Cosby generated controversy in 2004 when he said African-American parents often contribute to the delinquency of their children by not keeping close tabs on them.