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LeBron James, former President Barack Obama among those on new list of top 100 most influential African Americans in the world

"The kid from Akron" has certainly done a lot to help his community and the country since rising to fame.

LONDON, UK — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from a story published on November 6, 2020.  

NBA superstar and Akron native LeBron James is once again being recognized for the work he does in his home state and around the country.

African Leadership Magazine (ALM) recently released its list of the 100 most influential African American leaders which includes James and other big names like former President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama, Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris, Tyler Perry, and Oprah Winfrey. 

James has been a long time advocate for his hometown of Akron, launching the I Promise School to educate underserved youth, creating a pathway to college for students in the state, and most recently, launching a program to register diverse voters and educate them on the issues ahead of the November 3 election. 

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The magazine says that the list includes "individuals that have demonstrated exceptional leadership, skill and commitment within their profession and to the African American community; as well as contributed to strengthening relations with both Africans in the diaspora and Africans on the continent."

The bipartisan and multi-continental list also includes African Americans such as the current United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Ben Carson, as well as former U.S. Secretary of State, Condolezza Rice, who served under President George W. Bush from 2001-2005. 

ALM founder and Executive Chairman Dr. Ken Giami said, "We are pleased to recognize these outstanding global citizens and torchbearers for the global African community for their leadership and service to humanity, not only in the U.S. but also around the world. They are bridge-builders and trailblazers in almost every sphere of our human existence. Motherland Africa is proud of their contributions and we see in them what is possible for our collective future as Africans everywhere.''

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The magazine also honored the life of Congressman John Lewis, who passed away earlier this year from pancreatic cancer. Representative Lewis was known as a civil rights icon and even was a 2015 honoree from the U.K. based magazine. 

ALM will host a virtual event on December 4 to honor all 100 people and the impact they have made in their community. 

To see the full list of the 100 honorees, click here

    

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