Governor's Awards in the Humanities
South Carolina Humanities annually presents the Governor’s Awards in the Humanities Luncheon & Award Ceremony to recognize outstanding achievement and contributions to the humanities in South Carolina.
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.
As of 2018, SC Humanities is pleased to be offering a new award: the Fresh Voices in the Humanities Award. The award will recognize individuals who are working in unique and innovative ways to use culture and history to bring people together, but whose efforts may have gone relatively unnoticed beyond their own community.
South Carolina Humanities was pleased to host the 2019 Governor’s Awards in the Humanities Luncheon & Award Ceremony in Columbia, SC on Thursday, October 24, 2019. Listen to a short interview about the 2019 ceremony on SC Public Radio.
South Carolina Humanities is now accepting nominations for the 2020 awards.
2019 Governor's Awards in the Humanities Recipients
2019 Fresh Voices in the Humanities Award Recipients
Special Thanks to our 2019 Sponsors
Cabinet Level
Director's Level
Supporting Level
Past Recipients
Eighty-two individuals and organizations have received awards from 1991 to 2018.
1991
- Robert Simpson
- SC ETV
1992
- Robert S. McCoy
- McKissick Museum
1993
- Charles Joyner
- Lawrence Rowland
- WRJA – Sumter
1994
- Gibbes Museum of Art
- Veronica Davis Gerald
- Harriet Keyserling
1995
- Jerold J. Savory
1996
- Coker College
- Pat Conroy
1997
- South Carolina State Museum
- James Dickey
- Larry Jackson
- A.V. Huff Jr.
1998
- Carol Bleser
- John Jakes
- Richland County Public Library
- Elaine T. Freeman
- Virginia Geraty
1999
- Matthew Bruccoli
- Greater Columbia Literacy Council
- Earl Wilcox
2000
- Walter Edgar
- Dori Sanders
- William Starr
2001
- Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture
- Josephine Humphreys
- Congressman John Spratt, Jr.
2003
- Drs. Sara Sanders & Stephen Nagle
- York County Culture and Heritage Commission
2004
- Luther (Fred) Carter
- Ann Close
- William Price Fox
- Eugene (Nick) Ziegler
2005
- J. Douglas Donehue
- Virginia Friedman
- Joseph P. Riley, Jr.
2006
- Marvin Chernoff
- Furman University
- Hub City Writers Project
- S.C. (Cal) McMeekin, Jr.
2007 – Learn more about the 2007 recipients
- Jeffrey R. Willis
- Senator Ernest F. Hollings
2008 – Learn more about the 2008 recipients
- Rachel Hodges
- Wayne Q. Justesen, Jr.
- William C. Moran
2009 – Learn more about the 2009 recipients
- Ruby “Bela” Padgette Herlong
- Dr. David S. Shields
- Dr. Joseph Taylor Stukes
- Claflin University, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
2010 – Learn more about the 2010 recipients
- Benjamin “Bernie” Dunlap – Read Dr. Dunlap’s acceptance speech | Word document
- Theodore “Ted” Rosengarten
- Lynn Robertson
2011 – Learn more about the 2011 recipients
- Jack Bass
- Jerome “Jerry” Reel
- I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium, South Carolina State University
2012 – Learn more about the 2012 honorees
- Dr. Karen Chandler
- Dr. Anthony J. DiGiorgio
- University of South Carolina Press
2013 – Learn more about the 2013 honorees
- Dr. Mary Ann Kohli
- Ron Rash
- Dr. Stephen R. Wise
2014 – Learn more about the 2014 honorees
- Dr. William E. Dufford
- Dr. Tom Mack
- Dr. Alexandra Rowe
2015 – Learn more about the 2015 honorees
- Dr. Charles Israel
- Dr. Valinda Littlefield
- Dr. Rudy Mancke
2016 – Learn more about the 2016 honorees
- Charles T. “Bud” Ferillo, Jr.
- Betsy Newman – Read Betsy Newman’s acceptance speech | pdf document
- John Stringer Rainey
2017 – Learn more about the 2017 honorees
- Karen Alexander, The Auntie Karen Foundation
- Orville Vernon Burton
- Dixie Goswami
- Elizabeth “Betty Jo” Rhea
2018 – Learn more about the 2018 honorees
- Anne Walker Cleveland, Governor’s Award in the Humanities
- Bobby Donaldson, Governor’s Award in the Humanities
- Sara June Goldstein, Governor’s Award in the Humanities
- Cecil Williams, Governor’s Award in the Humanities
- Adrienne Burris, Fresh Voice in the Humanities Award
- Anna Catherine “AC” Parham, Fresh Voice in the Humanities Award
