The City of Greensboro’s City Council will honor five James B. Dudley High School seniors with the 2026 Morningside Awards at its July 21 meeting in the Melvin Municipal Office Building, 300 W. Washington St. The meeting begins at 5:30 pm.
The City’s Human Rights Department annually presents the awards to remember the five lives lost in a mass shooting at a 1979 anti-Ku Klux Klan protest in the City’s Morningside Homes community. The honors recognize five graduating Dudley seniors for their commitment to social justice and equality. Each recipient receives $2,979 to support their future academic, employment, or entrepreneurial goals.
The 2026 honorees are Maurice Cameron, LaRiyah Gainey, Madison Jones, Blair Talton, and Zakaria “Kari” Taylor.
Selected as Mr. Dudley for the 2025-26 school year, Maurice Cameron was a four-sport varsity letterman and Greensboro Youth Council member. He participated in numerous student organizations, including the National Society of Black Engineers and the Senior Class Council. Cameron will study electromechanical engineering technology with a concentration in robotic engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte). He hopes to utilize robotics and engineering to address real-world problems and effect positive change through leadership, education, and service.
LaRiyah Gainey believes everyone should have access to safe and affordable housing. The senior class vice president and volleyball letter winner will attend UNC Charlotte to study architecture, with visions of helping families build their dream homes through thoughtful floor plans and structural design. The National Honor Society member aims to design housing that is not only affordable and aesthetically pleasing but also durable and safe for future generations.
Selected as Miss Dudley for the 2025-26 school year, Madison Jones wants to advocate for transparency, equity, and greater opportunities for underserved communities. She plans to pursue a career in local and state politics to create change from within the system and make a meaningful impact on people’s everyday lives. Jones will study social work at NC A&T State University and hopes to better understand how politics impact education, economic opportunity, public safety, and access to resources.
Blair Talton is passionate about addressing healthcare disparities that affect underserved communities. Her involvement with the Healthcare Occupations Students of America exposed her to community health initiatives focused on wellness and Black maternal health awareness, which strengthened her commitment to healthcare equity. The National Honor Society member will attend East Carolina University on a pre-med track to become a physician. She hopes to use her education to advocate for equitable and compassionate patient care.
Zakaria “Kari” Taylor participated in NC A&T State’s Trio Upward Bound Program and the Dudley Ladies service-learning group. She will attend NC A&T State to study nursing and is passionate about addressing health disparities that affect Black families. The 2026 Reginald & Mildred Womble Scholarship recipient believes Black nurses play a vital role in improving health outcomes by helping bridge cultural gaps, building trust with patients, and improving communication between families and healthcare providers.
Greensboro’s City Council established the Morningside Awards in 2020 to honor the lives of Cesar Cauce, Dr. Michael Nathan, William Evan Simpson, Sandray Neely Smith, and Dr. James Waller, who died during the 1979 shooting. This year’s group raises the number of all-time honorees to 30.
The Human Rights Department promotes mutual understanding, respect, and fair treatment for all Greensboro residents, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or familial status. For more information about the awards or the department, contact Outreach and Education Coordinator Paula Washington at 336-373-7838 or paula.washington@greensboro-nc.gov.
