Awards / Professional Excellence and Service Awards

Friend of History Award

Recognizing outstanding support for historical research, the public presentation of American history, or the work of the OAH.


Overview

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 1, 2023

First given in 2005, the Friend of History Award recognizes an institution or organization, or an individual working primarily outside college or university settings, for outstanding support for historical research, the public presentation of American history, or the work of the OAH.


Process

Recipients will be selected by the OAH Executive Committee from nominations that should include a statement of no more than five pages describing the nominee’s distinguished contributions and, if for an individual, a CV of no more than five pages. The nomination packet also may contain up to ten additional pages of supporting materials that document the nominee’s distinguished service or letters that support the nomination. Nominations will remain active for three years.

Please indicate “2024 Friend of History Award” in the subject line and send nomination as a PDF by 11:59 p.m. (PST) on October 1, 2023 to [email protected].

Past Winners

2023
Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation 

2022
Made by History

2021
Refusing to Forget

2020
Ulysses S. Grant Association

2019
Natasha Trethewey, Northwestern University

2018
Civil War Trust

2017
Lonnie G. Bunch III, National Museum of African American History and Culture

2016
NASA Johnson Space Center History Office

2015
Colin G. Campbell, Chairman Emeritus, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

2014
Stephen A. Briganti, President and Chief Executive Officer, Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation

2013
The almost 85,000 participants in the US Department of Education’s Teaching American History Program

2011
Jay S. Goodgold, Independent Investor

2010
The Newberry Library

2009
Brian P. Lamb, Founder and CEO, C-SPAN, host of Booknotes

2008
Ruth J. Simmons, President, Brown University

2007
Senator Robert C. Byrd and Libby O’Connell and The History Channel

2006
Geoffrey C. Ward, Independent Scholar

2005
Sy Sternberg, New York Life Insurance Company and The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Committee Members

Anthea M. Hartig, National Museum of American History, President
David W. Blight, Yale University, President-Elect
Annette Gordon-Reed, Harvard University, Vice President
Jay S. Goodgold, Independent Investor, Treasurer
Erika Lee, Immediate Past President
Beth English, Executive Director, ex officio
Steve Andrews, Interim Executive Editor, Journal of American History, ex officio