Governor's Awards

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. Seventy-eight individuals and organizations have received awards from 1991 to 2017.

Nominations for the 2018 Governor’s Awards in the Humanities

Individuals, organizations, and institutions whose efforts have strengthened the humanities in the Palmetto State are eligible to receive a Governor’s Awards in the Humanities. 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
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. A letter of nomination should be sent to the attention of Dr. Randy Akers, SC Humanities, P.O. Box 5287, Columbia, SC 29250 by July 15, 2018. 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, contact the office at 803-771-2477.

Fresh Voices in the Humanities Award

n 2018, SC Humanities has established a new award to be presented at the Governor’s Awards in the Humanities luncheon and ceremony in October. The Fresh Voices in the Humanities Award will recognize individuals who are working in unique and innovative ways to use culture and history to bring people together, but whose efforts have gone relatively unnoticed beyond their own community.

For the Fresh Voices in the Humanities Award, SC Humanities seeks to recognize new voices who:
1) Identify current opportunities by examining the world through a fresh lens.
2) Engage their communities through open conversation and collaboration.
3) Create innovative responses that have a dynamic impact.

The SC Humanities Board of Directors will choose winners who best exemplify the above criteria. A letter of nomination should be sent to the attention of Dr. Randy Akers, SC Humanities, P.O. Box 5287, Columbia, SC 29250 by July 15, 2018. Nomination letters may be up to three pages in length and should describe the contributions of the nominee. Individuals may not nominate themselves.

Learn more or contact the office at 803-771-2477 with questions.

2017 Sponsors

Introducing our

Executive Level Sponsor

$1,500 Cabinet Level

Harry M. Dalton
In honor of Betty Jo Rhea

$1,000 Director’s Level

Charleston to Charleston Literary Festival

$500 Supporting Level

Ed and Louise Barnes

The Burton Family

Judy and Sig Huitt

The Rhea Family

Other Support

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough L.L.P.

Sponsorship Opportunities

$2,500 Executive Level Presenting Sponsor(s)
2 tables if desired, opportunity to give a welcome from podium, other benefits as listed with most prominent recognition available; can post signage or a banner at the event

$1,500 Cabinet Level
1 or 2 tables (sponsor’s preference), benefits as listed below but bigger typeface and prominent placement, named and thanked as reception sponsor

$1,000 Director’s Level
1 table, benefits as listed below PLUS informational listing in program about your business/foundation, etc. if desired

$500 Supporting Level
1 table for eight, listing in program, on website, in annual report and mention from podium

The Governor’s Awards in the Humanities Annual luncheon will be held Thursday, October 25, 2018 at the University of South Carolina Alumni Center. All sponsors are highlighted in promotional materials—press releases, annual report, web invitation and announcements and the e-newsletter distributed to more than 4,500 readers. Each table seats eight people.

The 2018 award recipients will be announced in August 2018.

Now celebrating its 27^th anniversary, 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 national or world; and exemplary support for public humanities programs.

Become a Sponsor

Contact Judy Bynum at 803-315-4411 or judy@schumanities.org

Past Recipients of the Governor’s Awards in the Humanities

Karen Alexander, The Auntie Karen Foundation (2017)
Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture (2001)
Jack Bass (2011)
Carol Bleser (1998)
Matthew Bruccoli (1999)
Vernon Burton (2017)
Luther (Fred) Carter (2004)
Karen Chandler (2012)
Marvin Chernoff (2006)
Claflin University, School of Humanities and Social Sciences (2009)
Anne Springs Close (2004)
Coker College (1996)
Pat Conroy (1996)
James Dickey (1997)
Anthony DiGiorgio (2012)
J. Douglas Donahue (2005)
William E. Dufford (2014)
Benjamin “Bernie” Dunlap (2010) – Read Dr. Dunlap’s acceptance speech | Word document
Walter Edgar (2000)
Charles T. “Bud” Ferillo, Jr. (2016)
William Price Fox (2004)
Elaine T. Freeman (1998)
Virginia Tormey Friedman (2005)
Furman University (2006)
Veronica Davis Gerald (1994)
Virginia Geraty (1998)
Gibbes Museum of Art (1994)
Dixie Goswami (2017)
Greater Columbia Literacy Council (1999)
Ruby “Bela” Padgette Herlong (2009)
Rachel Hodges (2008)
Senator Ernest F. Hollings (2007)
Hub City Writers Project (2006)
A.V. Huff, Jr. (1997)
Josephine Humphreys (2001)
I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium, SC State University (2011)
Charles Israel (2015)
Larry Jackson (1997)
John Jakes (1998)
Charles Joyner (1993)
Wayne Q. Justesen, Jr. (2008)
Harriet Keyserling (1994)
Mary Ann Kohli (2013)
Valinda Littlefield (2015)
Tom Mack (2014)
Rudy Mancke (2015)
Robert S. McCoy (1992)
S.C. (Cal) McMeekin, Jr. (2006)
McKissick Museum (1992)
William C. Moran (2008)
Betsy Newman (2016) – Read Betsy Newman’s acceptance speech | pdf document
John Stringer Rainey (2016)
Ron Rash (2013)
Jerome “Jerry” Reel (2011)
Elizabeth Josephine (Betty Jo) Rhea (2017)
Richland County Public Library (1998)
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. (2005)
Lynn Robertson (2010)
Theodore “Ted” Rosengarten (2010)
Alexandra Rowe (2014)
Lawrence Rowland (1993)
Dori Sanders (2000)
Sara Sanders and Stephen Nagle (2003)
Jerold J. Savory (1995)
David S. Shields (2009)
Robert Simpson (1991)
SC ETV (1991)
South Carolina State Museum (1997)
Congressman John Spratt, Jr. (2001)
William Starr (2000)
Joseph Taylor Stukes (2009)
University of South Carolina Press (2012)
WRJA – Sumter (1993)
Earl Wilcox (1999)
Jeffrey R. Willis (2007)
Stephen Wise (2013)
York County Culture and Heritage Commission (2003)
Eugene (Nick) Ziegler (2004)

Governor’s Awards