By Tyra Jackson | The Selma Times-Journal

Ten years strong, the Freedom Flame Awards continues to honor the heroics and leadership of others.

The star-studded evening was held in a large tent on the grounds of Wallace Community College Selma.

Actor Danny Glover served as master of order at the awards, which honors those who fought and continue to fight for justice and equality across the nation.

Freedom Flame Awards organizer Rose Sanders said early awards ceremonies focused on those who had contributed to the Civil Rights Movement. She said organizers realized the movement still wasn’t complete, so they began to honor younger people still fighting for equal rights today.

On Saturday, young people from the Black Lives Matter Movement were honored for their work.

“I wanted an awards ceremony that recognized leadership in the past and present,” Sanders said. “It’s called the Freedom Flame Awards because they’re flames. They’re lights.”

Other individuals who have left their marks received the Freedom Flame Century Award.

Harry Belafonte, John Lewis, Danny Glover, Dick Gregory and civil rights and trial attorney Fred Gray were some of the recipients of the award.

“It’s a wide range of activities we honor. It’s not just people who marched. It’s not just people who were jailed. The movement is like a puzzle made of many pieces. Each part of the puzzle is valuable,” Sanders said.

United States Postal Service employees were in attendance to unveil part of its Black Heritage Series.

“We’re going to unveil a cache, especially for the 50th anniversary of the Crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge,” said Deputy Postmaster General of the United States Ron Stroman.

“I feel so energized being here. It also gives you motivation to work even harder for everyone across the country,” he said.

Ellie J. Dahmer, wife of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer, attended to accept her late husband’s award as a Martyr of the Flame. She said she was proud of the award for her husband’s commitments to justice.

“I hope we can be able to do something for our young people, and that’s what I’m interested in,” she said.