BBC News Online: Entertainment

Race award for Springsteen

The singer, who told about 150 people that he felt "empowered" by music when he was a youth, was among a dozen people honoured by the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for contributions to the community.

"Humanitarian is too big a word for what I do," he said as he accepted the Humanitarian Community Service Award.

'Ideals'

"I want my music to embody some of those same ideals," he said.

The 51-year-old performer has sold millions of records, often focusing on social issues.

The singer recently wrote a song about the death of a West African immigrant, shot by police in New York, prompting a threatened boycott of some of his concerts by police officers.

His song American Skin, based on the shooting of 22-year-old Amadou Diallo, was condemned by police for inflaming the situation in New York.

The song contained the line: "You can get killed just for living in your American skin."

The policemen involved, who said they believed Mr Diallo was pulling out a gun when in fact it was his wallet, were acquitted on charges of murder in February.

Mr Diallo's mother has reportedly thanked Springsteen for remembering her son.