2026 Freedom Fund Banquet

Thanks to everyone who joined us on Saturday, October 24, 2026 at the Monroe County Convention Center for our 45th Freedom Fund Banquet or supported to Banquet in other ways. This year’s theme was We the People.

The Souvenir Booklet is available online.  Please thank our sponsors and advertisers, listed in the booklet,  for supporting the Monroe County NAACP.  

Funds raised from the dinner financially support the branch’s activities such as the Scholarship Program for local high school seniors, public forums on significant civil rights issues, and community programs that advance the mission of the NAACP. 

Toys collected at the banquet will be distributed through the  Bloomington Commission on the Status of Black Males (CSBM)'s Winter Wonderland on December 12th.

2026 President's Award Honoree:  Dr. Audrey McCluskey

Each year, the Monroe County Branch NAACP president selects a person to recognize for their special achievements and distinguished public service. This year's honoree for the President's Award is Dr. Audrey McCluskey.

Dr. McCluskey is professor emerita at Indiana University-Bloomington where she taught and conducted research in several fields including Gender Studies,African American Cultural History ,Media, Representation, and the lives and work of Black women educators. Her academic work has centered on African American cultural history, media representation, and the lives of Black women educators. As a writer, educator, and public intellectual, she has played a vital role in illuminating the often-overlooked contributions of Black Americans, particularly women, to the nation’s educational and social foundations. 

2026 Keynote Speaker: Mr. Denzil Ross

The keynote speaker for the 2026 Banquet is Mr. Denzil Ross.

Mr. Ross joined IU Health as president of the South Region in February 2024. In this role, he leads strategic and operational avenues for IU Health Bloomington, IU Health Bedford Hospital, IU Health Morgan, IU Health Paoli Hospital, and over 60 ambulatory clinics and joint ventures encompassing more than 5,000 team members in seven counties.