John H. Adams & Bill Nunn, Jr. Honored at 2023 Spirit of King Ceremony
On Thursday, John H. Adams and Bill Nunn, Jr. were honored at the 2023 Spirit of King Awards Ceremony.?
The ceremony was established in 1989 by The Kingsley Association and Pittsburgh Regional Transit with the purpose of highlighting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s influence on people and culture.??
Awards are given to the families of those who dedicated their lives to the betterment of others and the community. Each year, the names of additional honorees are added to a plaque on the memorial wall in East Liberty near the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway.?
John H. Adams was a war hero, community leader, innovator, and entrepreneur.?
The Schenley Heights native served in the Army during World War II and was a reporter for one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious Black newspapers, the New Pittsburgh Courier.??
He later went on to create the Pittsburgh Regional Minority Purchasing Council to focus on addressing supplier diversity needs between minority businesses and major corporations. He also was an advisory board member for Urban Youth Action and served on the boards for the Small Business Administration, Goodwill Industries, and the Allegheny Club.?
He was also a constant presence in Pittsburgh’s Black community, and developed the city’s first Black business directory in the early 1960’s, in addition to operating the John H. Adams Agency (which handled insurance, advertising, and several other items).??
He passed away in 2011.?
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Bill Nunn, Jr. was born and raised in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood. Nunn started as a sportswriter at the Courier, and eventually moved up to become the sports editor and then managing editor in the mid-1960s. As a sportswriter for a Black publication, Nunn developed deep knowledge of football programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.??
In 1967, Nunn accepted a part-time position on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ scouting staff. The sideline became a full-time position two years later when Chuck Noll became the team's coach.?
Nunn died in 2014 and was posthumously elected in 2021 to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.?
“I am pleased that we’re able to honor John Adams and Bill Nunn Jr. today”, said PRT CEO Katharine Kelleman. “I am continually impressed by the talent, character, and accomplishments of those the Spirit of King Committee recognizes each year.”?
The Spirit of King Ceremony is co-sponsored by the The Kingsley Association and the New Pittsburgh Courier .?
The entire 2023 Spirit of King Awards Ceremony is available to watch here: https://rideprt.org/king2023
You can submit a nomination for consideration for the 2024 ceremony by going to the following address: https://www.rideprt.org/link/4e7106a6f9424aaf874073d4c6d22dfc.aspx?