Established in 1991, the Governor’s Awards in the Humanities recognize outstanding achievement in humanities research, teaching, and scholarship; institutional and individual participation in helping communities in South Carolina better understand our cultural heritage or ideas and issues related to the humanities; excellence defining South Carolina’s cultural life to the nation or world; and exemplary support for public humanities programs. Sixty-eight individuals and organizations have received awards from 1991-2014. View a complete list of past Governor’s Award in the Humanities winners. SC Humanities is in its 42nd year as the state affiliate program of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Residents of South Carolina or organizations and institutions that operate within the state whose efforts have strengthened the humanities in this state are eligible. Categories in which nominations are welcome include: The Lifetime Achievement Award, for an individual who has demonstrated exemplary support for public humanities programs on the local and/or state level over a significant period of time; The Distinctive Achievement Award, for an individual who best defines South Carolina’s cultural life to the nation or to the world; The Academic Achievement Award, for an individual responsible for significant work in teaching, research, or scholarship in one or more of the humanities disciplines; The Community Leadership & Support Award, for an institution, business, or individual that creates or participates in community-based programs that promote public understanding of ideas and issues related to the humanities; The Public Humanities Award, for an individual practitioner responsible for outstanding public humanities programs in libraries, museums, historical societies, or other cultural institutions; and The Volunteer Achievement Award, for an individual who has contributed to increasing the understanding of our cultural heritage and values in the community, region, or state through public program participation.
The SC Humanities Board of Directors will choose the nominees who best exemplify the above criteria. Awards may be given in any, all, or none of the categories. Individuals, groups, or institutions may send a letter of nomination attention to Dr. Randy Akers, SC Humanities, P.O. Box 5287, Columbia, SC 29250 by July 15, 2015. Nomination letters may be up to three pages in length and should describe the contributions of the nominee. Individuals, organizations, or institutions may not nominate themselves.
For more information about the Governor’s Awards in the Humanities or the nomination process, please contact the office at 803-771-2477.