Spingarn Medal

Template:Short description The Spingarn Medal is awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for an outstanding achievement by an African American. The award was created in 1914 by Joel Elias Spingarn, chairman of the board of directors of the NAACP.<ref name="Britannica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> It was first awarded to biologist Ernest E. Just in 1915, and has been given most years thereafter.

At its annual convention, the NAACP presents the award after deciding from open nominations. Should the organization end, it would be managed by Howard or Fisk Universities.<ref name="Britannica"/> The gold medal is valued at $100, and Spingarn left $20,000 (Template:Inflation) in his will for the NAACP to continue giving it indefinitely.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

List of recipients

Year	Picture	Name	Rationale
1915	Ernest Everett Just	Template:Sortname	"Head of Physiology, Howard University Medical School for research in biology."
1916	Charles Young	Template:Sortname	"Services in organizing the Liberian Constabulary and roads in the Republic of Liberia."
1917	Harry Burleigh	Template:Sortname	"Excellence in the field of creative music."
1918	William Braithwaite	Template:Sortname	"Distinguished achievements in literature."
1919	Archibald Grimké	Template:Sortname	"U.S. Consul in Santo Domingo; President of American Negro Academy; for seventy years of distinguished service to his race and country."
1920	W. E. B. Du Bois	Template:Sortname	"Author, Editor Crisis Magazine; founding and calling of Pan-African Congress."
1921	Charles Sidney Gilpin as Brutus Jones	Template:Sortname	"Notable performance in the title role of The Emperor Jones and for excellence as an actor."
1922	Mary Burnett Talbert	Template:Sortname	"Former President of the National Association of Colored Women and for continued service to women of color."
1923	George Washington Carver	Template:Sortname	"Head of Department of Research and Director of the Experiment Station of Tuskegee Inst. For researching Agricultural Chemistry."
1924	Roland Hayes	Template:Sortname	"Singer; for artistry through interpreting Negro folk song; soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra."
1925	James Weldon Johnson	Template:Sortname	"Former U.S. Consul in Venezuela and Nicaragua; former editor and secretary of NAACP."
1926	Carter G. Woodson	Template:Sortname	"Historian and Founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History; editor, Negro Orators and Their Orations for his outstanding work as an historian."
1927	File:Anthony Overton.png	Template:Sortname	"President of Victory Life Insurance Company, the first black company certified by the state of New York."
1928	Charles W. Chesnutt	Template:Sortname	"Author; for his pioneer work as a literary artist, depicting the life and struggle of Americans of Negro descent."
1929	Mordecai Wyatt Johnson	Template:Sortname	"President of Howard University. For distinguished leadership as first black president."
1930	Henry A. Hunt	Template:Sortname	"Principal of the Fort Valley High and Industrial School, Fort Valley, GA. For twenty-five years of service in the education of black students."
1931		Template:Sortname	"For his fine and reverent characterization of the Lord in Marc Connelly's Play – The Green Pastures."
1932	Robert Russa Moton	Template:Sortname	"Principal of the Tuskegee Institute. For excellent leadership and service in the field of education."
1933	Max Yergan	Template:Sortname	"American Y.M.C.A. Secretary; missionary of intelligence, tact and self-sacrifice. For the excellence of his work in Africa."
1934	File:William T. B. Williams(Cropped).jpg	Template:Sortname	"Dean of Tuskegee Institute, long service as field agent of the Slater and Jeanes Funds and the General Education Board."
1935	Mary McLeod Bethune	Template:Sortname	"Founder and President of Bethune Cookman College. For outstanding leadership and service to education."
1936	John Hope	Template:Sort	"President of Atlanta University; distinguished leader of his race."
1937	Walter Francis White	Template:Sortname	"Executive Secretary of NAACP. For his personal investigation of more than forty-one lynchings."
1938	No award given
1939	Marian Anderson	Template:Sortname	"Chosen for her special achievement in music."
1940		Template:Sortname	"Surgeon; chosen for his contribution to the healing of mankind and for his courageous position in the face of bitter attack."
1941	Richard Wright	Template:Sortname	"Author; Uncle Tom's Children and Native Son. For his outstanding contributions to literature."
1942	A. Philip Randolph	Template:Sortname	"International President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. For his role in securing the presidential order to establish the FEPC in 1941."
1943	William H. Hastie	Template:Sortname	"Jurist and Educator; chosen for his distinguished career as a jurist and uncompromising champion of equal justice."
1944	Charles R. Drew	Template:Sortname	"Scientist; chosen for his outstanding work in blood plasma; research led to establishment of blood plasma bank."
1945	Paul Robeson	Template:Sortname	"Singer and Actor chosen for distinguished achievement in the theatre and concert stage."
1946	Thurgood Marshall	Template:Sortname	"Special Counsel for NAACP. For distinguished service as a lawyer before the U.S. Supreme Court."
1947	File:Percy Lavon Julian (1899-1975) portrait.jpg	Template:Sortname	"Research Chemist chosen for many important discoveries that have saved many lives."
1948	Channing Heggie Tobias	Template:Sortname	"In recognition of his consistent role as a defender of fundamental American liberties."
1949	Ralph Bunche	Template:Sortname	"International civil servant; acting UN mediator in Palestine. For singular service to the United Nations."
1950		Template:Sortname	"Chairman, NAACP Legal Committee and stalwart defender of democracy."
1951		Template:Sortname	"Leader of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses."
1952		Template:Sortname	"NAACP leader in the state of Florida and a martyr in the crusade for freedom."
1953	Paul Williams	Template:Sortname	"Distinguished architect, for his pioneer contributions as a creative designer of livable, attractive modern dwellings."
1954		Template:Sortname	"Physician, educator and philanthropist. For pioneering achievements in dermatology."
1955		Template:Sortname	"Dedicated editor, publisher and farsighted civic leader."
1956	Jackie Robinson	Template:Sortname	"Brilliant and versatile athlete; for superb sportsmanship and for his singular role in athletics."
1957	Martin Luther King, Jr	Template:Sortname	"Dedicated and selfless clergyman; for leadership role in the Montgomery bus protest movement."
1958		Template:Sort	"For their pioneer role in upholding the basic ideals of American democracy in the face of continuing harassment and constant threats of bodily injury."
1959	Duke Ellington	Template:Sortname	"Composer and orchestra leader. For outstanding and unique musical achievements."
1960	Langston Hughes	Template:Sortname	"Poet, author and playwright."
1961		Template:Sortname	"Professor of Psychology at the College of the City of New York; founder/director of the Northside Center for Child Development. For his dedicated service and inspired research in the field of psychology."
1962	Robert C. Weaver	Template:Sortname	"Administrator, Housing and Home Finance Agency; for his long years of dedicated public service at municipal, state and federal levels."
1963	Medgar Evers	Template:Sortname	"NAACP field secretary for the state of Mississippi. For his dedication and steadfast courage in the face of continued death threats."
1964	Roy Wilkins	Template:Sortname	"Executive Director, NAACP. For his leadership, integrity and his dedicated service."
1965	Leontyne Price	Template:Sortname	"Metropolitan Opera star, in recognition of her divinely inspired talent."
1966		Template:Sortname	"Founder/President of the Johnson Publishing Company of Chicago."
1967	Edward Brooke	Template:Sortname	"First African American to win popular election to the United States Senate since Reconstruction."
1968	Sammy Davis Jr.	Template:Sortname	"Broadway/Hollywood star and civil rights activist."
1969	Clarence Mitchell Jr.	Template:Sortname	"Director, Washington Bureau, NAACP and civil rights lobbyist. For his pivotal role in the enactment of civil rights legislation."
1970		Template:Sortname	"Artist, teacher and humanitarian."
1971		Template:Sortname	"Clergyman, activist and prophet."
1972	Jacob Lawrence	Template:Sortname	"In recognition of his unique creativity, as exemplified by his outstanding achievements as photographer, writer, film maker and composer."
1973		Template:Sortname	"Educator, in recognition of the stature he has attained as a national leader in the field of education."
1974	Damon Keith	Template:Sortname	"Jurist; in tribute to his steadfast defense of constitutional principles."
1975	No award given
1976	Hank Aaron	Template:Sortname	"Athlete, in recognition of his singular achievement in the sport which symbolizes America – baseball; his impressive home run record."
1977Template:Efn	Alvin Ailey	Template:Sortname	"Innovative dancer, choreographer and artistic director."
	Alex Haley	Template:Sortname	"Author, biographer and lecturer; exhaustive research and literary skill combined in Roots."
1978	No award given
1979Template:Efn	Andrew Young	Template:Sortname	"Minister plenipotentiary and extraordinary United States Ambassador to the United Nations."
	Rosa Parks	Template:Sortname	"In recognition to the quiet courage and determination exemplified when she refused to surrender her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus."
1980		Template:Sortname	"Educator, historian, author for his prodigious efforts to set before the world the black American's continuing struggle against oppression."
1981	Coleman Young	Template:Sortname	"Mayor, City of Detroit; public servant, labor leader."
1982	Benjamin Mays	Template:Sortname	"Educator, theologian and humanitarian."
1983	Lena Horne	Template:Sortname	"Artist humanitarian and living symbol of excellence."
1984	No award given
1985Template:Efn	Tom Bradley	Template:Sortname	"Government executive, public servant, humanist; Mayor of Los Angeles for 20 years."
	Bill Cosby	Template:Sortname	"Humorist, artist, educator, family man and humanitarian."
1986		Template:Sortname	"Executive Director, NAACP. In tribute to his precedent-setting accomplishments."
1987		Template:Sortname	"Public servant, businessman, community leader."
1988		Template:Sortname	"Educator, doctor of veterinary medicine, visionary and humanitarian."
1989	Jesse Jackson	Template:Sortname	"Clergyman, political leader, civil rights activist; first American of African descent to become a major presidential candidate."
1990	Douglas Wilder	Template:Sortname	"Governor, public servant, attorney and visionary in tribute to an extraordinary life of accomplishment."
1991	Colin Powell	Template:Sortname	"General of the U.S. Army, 12th Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Department of Defense."
1992	Barbara Jordan	Template:Sortname	"Lawyer, educator, political leader and stateswoman."
1993	Dorothy Height	Template:Sortname	"National Council of Negro Women; National YWCA; The Center for Radical Justice; President, Delta Sigma Theta sorority. For extraordinary leadership in advancing women’s rights."
1994	Maya Angelou speaking at the first inauguration of President Bill Clinton	Template:Sortname	"Poet, author, actress, playwright, producer, educator and historian."
1995	John Hope Franklin	Template:Sortname	"Historian, scholar and educator; in recognition of an unrelenting quest for truth and the enlightenment of Western Civilization."
1996	A. Leon Higginbotham Jr.	Template:Sortname	"Jurist, Scholar, teacher and humanitarian; in honor of a distinguished jurist who emerged a giant of jurisprudence during a three-decade tenure as the nation’s longest serving active Federal Judge."
1997	File:Carl Rowan 1997.jpg	Template:Sortname	"Journalist, publicist, civic leader and public servant."
1998	Myrlie Evers-Williams	Template:Sortname	"Civil rights activist, risk-taker, mother, true believer."
1999	Earl G. Graves Sr.	Template:Sortname	"Founder, Black Enterprise Magazine; Businessman, publisher, educator, advocate, entrepreneur, family man."
2000	Oprah Winfrey	Template:Sortname	"Actress, producer, educator, publisher and humanitarian."
2001	Vernon Jordan	Template:Sortname	"Lawyer, Advisor to Presidents, Champion of Civil Rights and Human Rights, Exemplar and True Believer."
2002	John Lewis	Template:Sortname	"Public servant, protector of civil and human rights, community leader and inspirer of youth."
2003	Constance Baker Motley	Template:Sortname	"Civil rights pioneer, jurist, public official, for her commitment and pursuit of the goal of equal opportunity and justice for all Americans."
2004	Robert L. Carter	Template:Sortname	"Attorney, educator, federal judge and guardian of civil rights; for his extraordinary achievement of winning twenty-one cases argued before the Supreme Court."
2005	Oliver Hill	Template:Sortname	"For his key role in the United States Supreme Court Case, Brown v. Board; for his determined, quiet and persistent pursuit of justice."
2006	Ben Carson	Template:Sortname	"In tribute to a lifetime of growth and singular achievement, from the bottom of his fifth grade class, to become the youngest ever Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery in the United States."
2007	John Conyers	Template:Sortname	"Guardian of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, consummate legislator and public servant."
2008	Ruby Dee	Template:Sortname	"Actress, poet, playwright and civil rights activist"
2009	Julian Bond	Template:Sortname	"Former Chairman of the NAACP Board of Directors and legendary civil rights activist"
2010	Cicely Tyson	Template:Sortname	"Actress and civil rights activist"
2011	Frankie Muse Freeman	Template:Sortname	"Attorney and civil rights activist."
2012	Harry Belafonte	Template:Sortname	"Singer, song writer, actor and social activist."
2013	Jessye Norman	Template:Sortname	"Opera singer, Grammy Award winner."
2014	Quincy Jones	Template:Sortname	"Composer, Producer, Grammy Award winner."
2015	Sidney Poitier	Template:Sortname	"Actor and Social activist, Oscar Winner."
2016	Nathaniel R. Jones	Template:Sortname	"Lawyer, Jurist, Academic and Public Servant"
2018	Willie L. Brown	Template:Sortname<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Former mayor of San Francisco and former speaker of the California Assembly
2019	Patrick Gaspard	Template:Sortname<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	a lifelong community activist, a former American diplomat, and the current president of the Center for American Progress
2021	Cato T. Laurencin	Template:Sortname<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor at the University of Connecticut NAACP recognizes Dr. Laurencin's seminal and singular accomplishments in tissue regeneration, biomaterials science, nanotechnology, and regenerative engineering, a field he founded. His exceptional career has made him the foremost engineer-physician-scientist in the world. His breakthrough achievements have resulted in transformative advances in improving human life. His fundamental contributions to materials science and engineering include introducing nanotechnology into the biomaterials field for regeneration.
2022	Patrick Gaspard	Template:Sortname<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	House Majority Whip
2023		Template:Sortname<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	8th National President of the NAACP
2024		Template:Sortname<ref>[1]</ref>	"Esteemed historian and literary scholar."

Notes

Footnotes

Specific references

General references

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