News Releases

MILWAUKEE (BUSINESS WIRE), October 13, 2011 - The Northwestern Mutual Foundation has been named the presenting sponsor of Morehouse College’s Memorial Concert and Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. The concert will take place at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD, on Friday, October 14 at 8 p.m., during the dedication weekend celebrating Dr. King.

“The entire MLK memorial weekend is dedicated to celebrating the life, dream and legacy of a great individual whose vision positively impacted the world,” said Kimberley Goode, president of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation. “We are proud to support the institution where Dr. King received his formal education and began his journey toward promoting justice and equality.”

The Memorial Concert will be hosted by accomplished stage, film and television actor Avery Brooks. It will feature the Timeless Voices: Eddie Levert, Dennis Edwards and Johnny Gill. Grammy Award-winner Stevie Wonder and Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), will both receive the Presidential Renaissance Medallion of Merit for their roles in spearheading the effort to recognize King’s birthday as a national holiday. The concert is a scholarship fundraiser and the partnership between Morehouse and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation marks the first time the entities have come together for such a cause.

“Morehouse College is proud of our partnership with the Northwestern Mutual Foundation in presenting the Memorial Concert and Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., during the weekend of the historic unveiling of the national monument,” said Robert M. Franklin, president of Morehouse College. “The Northwestern Mutual Foundation recognizes the significance of paying homage to Dr. King as an American hero, and we salute them for their vision. We also thank them for their ongoing commitment to building strong communities through investing in strong leadership as the best hope for future generations—which is, in essence, Dr. King’s vision of the World House.”

About Morehouse College

As the nation’s largest, private liberal arts college for men, Morehouse College was recently recognized as the number one liberal arts college in the nation by Washington Monthly; one of 45 “Best Buy” schools for 2011 by the Fiske Guide to Colleges; one of the nation’s Most Grueling Colleges in 2010 by The Huffington Post; the number three HBCU in the nation for 2011 by U.S. News and World Report; and as one of American’s Best Colleges for three consecutive years by Forbes magazine.

Prominent alumni include Martin Luther King Jr., Nobel Peace Prize winner and civil and human rights non-violent leader; Dr. David Satcher, former U.S. Surgeon General and director of the National Center for Primary Care of Morehouse School of Medicine; Shelton “Spike” Lee, filmmaker and president of 40 Acres & A Mule Productions; Samuel L. Jackson, Academy Award-nominated actor; Maynard H. Jackson, founder of Jackson Securities and the first African American mayor of Atlanta; and Nima A. Warfield, the first African American Rhodes Scholar from an HBCU.

About the Northwestern Mutual Foundation

The mission of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation is to build strong, vibrant communities that serve as a legacy to future generations. The Foundation’s giving is designed to create an impact on communities where the company’s employees and financial representatives live and work. In fiscal year 2011, the Foundation contributed more than $15 million to nonprofit organizations across the country.

About Northwestern Mutual

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company – Milwaukee, Wis. (Northwestern Mutual), the “World’s Most Admired” life insurance company in 2011 according to FORTUNE® magazine, has helped clients achieve financial security for more than 150 years. As a mutual company with $1.2 trillion of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual has no shareholders. The company focuses solely and directly on its clients and seeks to deliver consistent and dependable value to them over time. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a holistic approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, limited purpose federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company; and Russell Investments.

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