Mayor White: a profile in courage

In what the mayor's spokesman has called "an award that recognizes what tens of thousands of Houstonians participated in," Mayor White has been honored with the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his work to help the tens of thousands Katrina and Rita evacuees that fled to Houston. The award is named after JFK's Pulitzer Prize-winning book and annually recognizes Americans who have demonstrated commitment and contribution to public service. It is the nation's most prestigious honor for public servants. Previous recipients include Kofi Annan, Gerald Ford, and Texan Lt.-Gov. Bill Ratliff.

Mayor White is sharing the award with Doris Voitier, Superintendent of Schools for St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, who contributed to her community by rebuilding and reopening the devastated public schools in her parish. Mayor White will receive his award in a ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in May, in honor of President Kennedy's May 29th birthday. The award is a sterling silver lantern, modeled after the lantern on the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy.