Long Island?s freedom fighters held the ninth annual NAACP awards luncheon to honor volunteers and activists who made strides in the struggle for civil rights.

Among the 10 honorees who attended the luncheon was Tuskegee Airman Lee Hayes, whose service in World War II helped desegregate the military, and Eugene Burnett, who was the first black police sergeant in the town of Babylon.

?I never let go of the fight for freedom,? Burnett says. ?I've stayed involved.?

New York's NAACP President Hazel Dukes says President Barack Obama's historic election is one of the organization's greatest milestones.

?I'm grateful that so many people endured hardships to make this country what it is,? Dukes says. ?It's not all it can be, but we're getting there.?

On Feb. 12, the NAACP will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Members of the organization hope the next hundred years will bring even greater equality for all.