McDonald's® Draws A-List Celebrity Talent at 2011 Essence Music Festival to Celebrate African American Leaders "Deeply Rooted in the Community®"

OAK BROOK, Ill., July 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald's® attracted an all-star lineup of celebrities and community leaders in New Orleans, La., during the Essence Music Festival to excite festival-goers and celebrate community service leaders at the 2011 McDonald's 365Black® Awards.  This year's honorees included Mary J. Blige, Ruby Dee, Cathy Hughes, Benjamin Jealous and Henry (Hank) Thomas.  McDonald's was an official sponsor of the 2011 Essence Music Festival, which attracted an estimated 440,000 festival-goers to New Orleans this year.

During the festival, McDonald's also introduced their Men of McCafe® Casting Call winners, who were chosen out of hundreds of applicants for their philanthropic community efforts.  The five winners were introduced at the McDonald's booth by the Men of McCafe celebrity ambassadors, BET The Game Actor Hosea Chanchez, TBS's Meet the Browns Actor Lance Gross, TBS's House of Payne Actor Lamman Rucker, and former NFL Star Isaac Keys.  

Throughout the weekend, thousands of Essence attendees packed the McDonald's booth for lively concerts and to receive a free sample of McDonald's McCafe Frozen Strawberry Lemonade and the Mango Pineapple and Wild Berry Real Fruit Smoothies. Live music and entertainment was provided by Dru Hill, Doug E. Fresh, Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee, Monie Love, and Blackstreet, in addition to a dance marathon performed by Oscar® nominated Actress Taraji P. Hensen.

Additional friends of McDonald's attending various events for the brand included: 365Black Awards co-hosts Tom Joyner and Angela Bassett, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Award-winning journalist and CNN commentator Roland Martin, R&B and soul singer Stephanie Mills, Gospel singing sensation Hezekiah Walker, Morris Day & the Time, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Alexander & Cherelle, Shamarr Allen & the Undersdawgs.

The 365Black Awards were launched in 2003 as an extension of McDonald's 365Black initiative, created to celebrate the pride, heritage and achievements of African-Americans year round. McDonald's Men of McCafe Casting Call is a national search launched in September 2010 to identify and celebrate community service-oriented men between 18 – 34 years old who are "making a difference" in the African American community.  For more information on both of these programs please visit, http://www.365Black.com, McDonald's portal for its 365Black® programs, celebrating the African American community throughout the year.

About McDonald's

McDonald's USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to more than 26 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local business men and women. Customers can now log online for free at any of the 11,000 participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald's U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit http://www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter (@McDonalds) and Facebook (Facebook.com/McDonalds) for updates on our business, promotions and products.

© 2011 McDonald's

SOURCE McDonald's