National Humanities Medal

The National Humanities Medal honors individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the humanities, broadened citizens’ engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to important resources in the humanities. The award, given by the National Endowment for the Humanities, was established in 1988 as the Charles Frankel Prize. In 1997 it was renamed the National Humanities Medal.


National Humanities Medal Recipients

  • Bloom in suit smiling

    Allan Bloom (1930–1992)

    AB’49, AM’53, PhD’55; Professor in History, 1964–69; Chairman, Department of History, 1967–70; John Matthews Manly Distinguished Service Professor; Professor in the Committee on Social Thought, 1979–92; John U. Nef Distinguished Service Professor, 1992

  • Boorstin posing

    Daniel J. Boorstin (1914–2004)

    Professor in History, 1944–64; Preston and Sterling Morton Distinguished Service Professor, 1964–69

  • Shorris smiling

    Earl Shorris (1936-2012)

    X’54

  • Southern looking at camera

    Eileen Jackson Southern (1920–2002)

    AB’40; AM’41

  • Himmelfarb face

    Gertrude Himmelfarb

    PhD’50

  • Buchanan face

    James M. Buchanan Jr.

    PhD’48

  • Dunham looking away

    Katherine Dunham

    PhB’36

  • Leal smiling

    Luis Leal (1907–2010)

    AM’41, PhD’50

  • Marty smiling

    Martin Marty

    PhD’56; Professor in the Divinity School, 1963–78; Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor, 1978–98; Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, 1998–present

  • phoenix badge

    Mary Ann Glendon

    AB’59, JD’61; Master of Comparative Law, 1963

  • phoenix badge

    Milton J. Rosenberg

    Professor in Psychology and the College, 1965–96; Professor Emeritus in Psychology, 1996–present

  • Adler posing

    Mortimer J Adler

    Associate Professor in Philosophy of Law, 1930–42; Professor in Philosophy of Law, 1942–52; Visiting Lecturer, 1963–68

  • Roth face

    Philip Roth

    AM’55

  • Ellison in a suit

    Ralph Ellison (1913–1994)

    Humanities Faculty, 1961

  • phoenix badge

    Richard J. Franke

    University Trustee

  • Bellow in a hat smiling

    Saul Bellow (1915–2005)

    X’39; Raymond W. and Martha Hilpert Gruner Distinguished Service Professor in the Committee on Social Thought and in English, 1962–1993; chairman of the Committee on Social Thought, 1970–76

  • Turkel wearing a hat

    Studs Terkel

    PhB’32, JD’34

  • Sowell smiling

    Thomas Sowell

    PhD’68

  • Placeholder Image

    Walter Berns

    PhD, AM; Faculty, 1984, 1989

  • McNeill in a suit

    William H. McNeill

    AB’38, AM’39; Robert A. Milikan Distinguished Service Professor in History, 1947–87; Robert A. Millikan Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in History, 1987–present