Join the North Carolina Black Leadership Caucus and the First Black Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, the Honorable North Carolina Senator Dan Blue, for the NCBLC's Annual Chairman's Banquet on Saturday, February 20th at 5:30pm to be held at the Durham Marriott & Convention Center, 201 Foster St, Durham NC. At the state's premier event for Black History Month, community leaders, elected officials and concerned citizens from across the state will gather to be inspired by the message of 'Honoring our Past, Strengthening our Present and Building our Future.'

Founded in 1976 to consolidate and build from the successes of the voting and civil rights movements, the NC Black Leadership Caucus works to promote the social and economic empowerment of the Black and underprivileged communities of North Carolina. "We are thrilled to have Senator Dan Blue, a true leader of our community, as the keynote speaker this year along with others including the first chairman of the NC Black Leadership Caucus, NC Representative Mickey Michaux," stated Walter Rogers, the newly elected NCBLC Chair from Scotland County.

Daniel T. Blue, Jr, an alum of NC Central University and Duke University School of Law, is recognized throughout the state and nation as one of America's most outstanding political leaders. Upon graduation from law school, Blue was hired by one of North Carolina's leading law firms, Sanford, Cannon, Adams & McCullough (now Parker, Poe, Adams, and Bernstein LLP), and became one of the first black attorneys to integrate one of the state's major law firms.

In 1980, Blue was elected to the NC House of Representatives and has served in numerous leadership capacities including Chairman of the NC Legislative Black Caucus, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Speaker of the NC House of Representatives and President of the National Conference of State Legislatures. After serving in the NC House for 22 years, Blue left to run for US Senate in 2002 and returned to the NC House in 2006. In 2009, Blue was appointed to fulfill the NC Senate term of the late Senator Vernon Malone.

Blue resides in Raleigh with his wife, the former Edna Earle Smith, a civic and community leader. They have three adult children, all of whom are lawyers, and two granddaughters.

Past chairpersons of the NC Black Leadership Caucus include the Honorable NC State Representative Mickey Michaux, the late Raleigh Mayor Clarence 'Baby' Lightner, Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People Chairwoman Dr. E. Lavonia Allison, Wilmington Attorney Peter Grear, Betty Eddleman, Pete Peterson, Rockingham County leader Faiger Blackwell, Bob Davis, the Honorable NC State Representative Larry Hall and Dunn Mayor Pro Tempore N. Carnell Robinson.

Proceeds from this event will be utilized to increase NCBLC programming vital to the community.

Banquet tickets are $50 and available for online purchase at www.ncblackleadershipcaucus.com until February 16th. For more information about the NC Black Leadership Caucus or to purchase tickets, please visit www.ncblackleadershipcaucus.com or contact Walter Rogers, Chairman at (910) 280-0571.