Jonathan was honoured with the award in recognition of his leadership in advancing human rights, social justice and the fight for universal freedom.
Former President, Goodluck Jonathan has become the first African leader to receive the Presidential Award from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), in Atlanta, Georgia.
The SCLC was founded by Dr Martin Luther King Jr. in January 1957 is currently led by Dr Charles Steele Jr. who held a private meeting with the former Nigerian president before the event.
The event is part of the activities leading up to the celebration of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 18th, 2016.
Steele also proposed to work with the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation to advance the cause of peace around the world and to bridge the gap between people of colour in the Diaspora and Africa.
Jonathan has earned worldwide accolade to President Muhammadu Buhari after the March 28 elections, thus preventing Nigeria from erupting into massive waves of electoral violence which many around the world had predicted would occur.
He was recently chosen to head a Commonwealth observer mission for the Tanzania elections and was also called upon to intervene in Zanzibar’s political stalemate.