Actor Lou Gossett Jr. won an Academy Award for best supporting actor for his portrayal of a drill instructor in An Officer and a Gentleman. He earned an Emmy Award for best actor for his portrayal of Fiddler in the 1977 mini-series Roots. Today he dedicates his time to the elimination of racism through the Eracism Foundation which provides programs that foster cultural diversity, historical enrichment, education and anti-violence initiatives.  In 2011, The Spirituals Project presented Gossett with its Jericho Award.