Rev. Orange Award for Movement Leadership

In 2008, Jobs with Justice created the Reverend James Orange Award for Movement Leadership to pay tribute to the life and legacy of civil rights and labor activist Reverend James Orange. At each national gathering, we honor a Jobs with Justice leader who embodies the spirit and legacy of Rev. Orange through their leadership and commitment to building the movement for social and economic justice.   

Reverend James Orange was a key field organizer for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and a member of Dr. King’s inner circle, particularly during the Birmingham movement where he organized the demonstrations of school children who were fire-hosed and attacked by police dogs. He went on to play strategic roles organizing direct actions in Selma, Memphis, and Chicago— leading elements of the original Poor People’s Campaign before Dr. King’s untimely death.

Perhaps less known is the critical role Rev. Orange played in building Jobs with Justice. He was one of the founders of Atlanta Jobs with Justice and traveled across the country as a part of our National Workers Rights Board to speak in support of local worker struggles. His life represented a guiding principle of Jobs with Justice—that justice must be fought for not only in the workplace, but everywhere people experience unbalanced economic relationships.