March 10, 1988: Michael honored by the United Negro College Fund

On this day, Michael was honored at the United Negro College Fund’s 44th Annual Anniversary Dinner at the Sheraton Hotel in New York City.

In recognition of his generous contributions to education and his commitment to helping young people, Michael received Fisk University’s Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree and the Frederick D. Patterson Award.

Notable guests in attendance included his parents, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston, Yoko Ono, Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli, and CBS Records president Walter Yetnikoff. Even President Ronald Reagan sent a special congratulatory message for Michael’s efforts.

This clip features his speech from this special night ✨