North Carolina Award

The North Carolina Award is the highest civilian award bestowed by the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is awarded in the four fields of science, literature, the fine arts, and public service. Sometimes referred to as the "Nobel Prize of North Carolina",[citation needed] the award has been given to up to nine individuals each year since 1964. The awards, provided for by chapters 140A and 143B of the North Carolina General Statutes, are chosen by the North Carolina Awards Committee appointed by the Governor of North Carolina and supervised by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The award was designed by sculptor Paul Manship and was one of the last commissions he completed before his death.

History of the award

The award was proposed by state Senator Robert Lee Humber of Pitt County, who wanted to recognize people who had contributed to the betterment of North Carolina and inspire others. He won the award for public service in 1968.

Biographical essays are available for each North Carolina Award recipient in the ceremony program for that year. Ceremony programs are online through the North Carolina Digital Collections.

Award winners

1960s

1964
  • Literature: Inglis Fletcher
  • Science: John Couch
  • Fine Arts: Francis Speight
  • Public Service: John Morehead, Clarence Poe
1965
  • Literature: Paul Green, Gerald Johnson
  • Science: Frederick A. Wolf
  • Fine Arts: Hunter Johnson
  • Public Service: Frank Porter Graham
1966
  • Literature: Bernice Kelly Harris
  • Science: Oscar Rice
  • Fine Arts: Arthur G. Odell Jr.
  • Public Service: Luther Hodges
1967
  • Literature: Jonathan Worth Daniels
  • Science: Carl W. Gottschalk, H. Houston Merritt
  • Fine Arts: Benjamin F. Swalin
  • Public Service: Albert Coates
1968
  • Literature: Vermont C. Royster, Charles Russell
  • Science: Stanley Stephens
  • Fine Arts: Hobson Pittman
  • Public Service: Robert Lee Humber
1969
  • Literature: Ovid Pierce,
  • Science: Kenneth Brinkhous
  • Fine Arts: Charles Stanford, Jr.
  • Public Service: May G. L. Kellenberger


1970s

1970
  • Literature: Frances Gray Patton
  • Science: Philip Handler
  • Fine Arts: Henry C. Pearson
  • Public Service: Terry Sanford
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979


1980s

1980
1981
1982
1983
  • Literature: Heather Ross Miller
  • Science: Frank Guthrie
  • Fine Arts: Mary Keesler Dalton & Harry Lee Dalton
  • Public Service: Hugh Morton
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989

1990s

1990
1991
  • Literature: Robert Morgan
  • Science: Mary Ellen Jones
  • Fine Arts: William Brown
  • Public Service: Elizabeth Dole, Jesse Meredith
1992
1993
1994
  • Literature: Elizabeth Spencer
  • Science: Marshall Edgell
  • Fine Arts: Sarah Blakeslee
  • Public Service: Richard Jenrette, Freda Nicholson
1995
1996
  • Literature: Betty Adcock
  • Science: Joseph Pagano
  • Fine Arts: Joanne Bath
  • Public Service: Martha McKay, John L. Sanders, Robert Scott
1997
1998
1999


2000s

2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009


2010s

2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019[1]
  • Literature: Philip Gerard
  • Fine Arts: Lawrence J. Wheeler
  • Public Service: Deborah S. Proctor
  • Science: Catherine M. Wilfert, M.D.

2020s

2020
2021
2022

See also

References

  1. ^ "North Carolina Awards website". NC Department of Natural and Culture Resources.

External links

  • NC Awards page at the NC Dept of Cultural Resources
  • NC Awards page at the NCpedia
Sculptures
Other works