Spingarn Medal

The Spingarn Medal is awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for 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. It was first awarded to biologist Ernest E. Just in 1915. The gold medal is valued at $100, and Spingarn left $20,000 in his will for the NAACP to continue giving it indefinitely.

List of award winners
 Year Picture Name Rationale 1915 100px|Ernest Everett Just  "Head of Physiology, Howard University Medical School for research in biology." 1916 100px|Charles Young  "Services in organizing the Liberian Constabulary and roads in the Republic of Liberia." 1917 100px|Harry Burleigh "Excellence in the field of creative music." 1918 100px|William Braithwaite  "Distinguished achievements in literature." 1919 100px|Archibald Grimké  "U.S. Consul in Santo Domingo; President of American Negro Academy; for seventy years of distinguished service to his race and country." 1920 100px|W. E. B. Du Bois  "Author, Editor Crisis Magazine; founding and calling of Pan-African Congress." 1921 100px|Charles Sidney Gilpin as Brutus Jones  "Notable performance in the title role of The Emperor Jones and for excellence as an actor." 1922 100px|Mary Burnett Talbert  "Former President of the National Association of Colored Women and for continued service to women of color." 1923 100px|George Washington Carver  "Head of Department of Research and Director of the Experiment Station of Tuskegee Inst. For researching Agricultural Chemistry." 1924 100px|Roland Hayes  "Singer; for artistry through interpreting Negro folk song; soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra." 1925 100px|James Weldon Johnson  "Former U.S. Consul in Venezuela and Nicaragua; former editor and secretary of NAACP." 1926 100px|Carter G. Woodson  "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  "President of Victory Life Insurance Company, the first black company certified by the state of New York." 1928 100px|Charles W. Chesnutt  "Author; for his pioneer work as a literary artist, depicting the life and struggle of Americans of Negro descent." 1929 100px|Mordecai Wyatt Johnson  "President of Howard University. For distinguished leadership as first black president." 1930 100px|Henry A. Hunt  "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  "For his fine and reverent characterization of the Lord in Marc Connelly's Play – The Green Pastures." 1932 100px|Robert Russa Moton  "Principal of the Tuskegee Institute. For excellent leadership and service in the field of education." 1933 100px|Max Yergan  "American Y.M.C.A. Secretary; missionary of intelligence, tact and self-sacrifice. For the excellence of his work in Africa." 1934  "Dean of Tuskegee Institute, long service as field agent of the Slater and Jeanes Funds and the General Education Board." 1935 100px|Mary McLeod Bethune  "Founder and President of Bethune Cookman College. For outstanding leadership and service to education." 1936 100px|John Hope  "President of Atlanta University; distinguished leader of his race." 1937 100px|Walter Francis White  "Executive Secretary of NAACP. For his personal investigation of more than forty-one lynchings." 1938 No award given 1939 100px|Marian Anderson  "Chosen for her special achievement in music." 1940  "Surgeon; chosen for his contribution to the healing of mankind and for his courageous position in the face of bitter attack." 1941 100px|Richard Wright  "Author; Uncle Tom's Children and Native Son. For his outstanding contributions to literature." 1942 100px|A. Philip Randolph  "International President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. For his role in securing the presidential order to establish the FEPC in 1941." 1943 100px|William H. Hastie  "Jurist and Educator; chosen for his distinguished career as a jurist and uncompromising champion of equal justice." 1944  "Scientist; chosen for his outstanding work in blood plasma; research led to establishment of blood plasma bank." 1945 100px|Paul Robeson  "Singer and Actor chosen for distinguished achievement in the theatre and concert stage." 1946 100px|Thurgood Marshall  "Special Counsel for NAACP. For distinguished service as a lawyer before the U.S. Supreme Court." 1947  "Research Chemist chosen for many important discoveries that have saved many lives." 1948 100px|Channing Heggie Tobias  "In recognition of his consistent role as a defender of fundamental American liberties." 1949 100px|Ralph Bunche  "International civil servant; acting UN mediator in Palestine. For singular service to the United Nations." 1950  "Chairman, NAACP Legal Committee and stalwart defender of democracy." 1951  "Leader of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses." 1952  "NAACP leader in the state of Florida and a martyr in the crusade for freedom." 1953 100px|Paul Williams  "Distinguished architect, for his pioneer contributions as a creative designer of livable, attractive modern dwellings." 1954  "Physician, educator and philanthropist. For pioneering achievements in dermatology." 1955  "Dedicated editor, publisher and farsighted civic leader." 1956 100px|Jackie Robinson  "Brilliant and versatile athlete; for superb sportsmanship and for his singular role in athletics." 1957 100px|Martin Luther King, Jr  "Dedicated and selfless clergyman; for leadership role in the Montgomery bus protest movement." 1958  "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 100px|Duke Ellington  "Composer and orchestra leader. For outstanding and unique musical achievements." 1960 100px|Langston Hughes  "Poet, author and playwright." 1961   "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 100px|Robert C. Weaver  "Administrator, Housing and Home Finance Agency; for his long years of dedicated public service at municipal, state and federal levels." 1963  "NAACP field secretary for the state of Mississippi. For his dedication and steadfast courage in the face of continued death threats." 1964 100px|Roy Wilkins  "Executive Director, NAACP. For his leadership, integrity and his dedicated service." 1965 100px|Leontyne Price  "Metropolitan Opera star, in recognition of her divinely inspired talent." 1966  "Founder/President of the Johnson Publishing Company of Chicago." 1967 100px|Edward Brooke  "First African American to win popular election to the United States Senate since Reconstruction." 1968 100px|Sammy Davis Jr.  "Broadway/Hollywood star and civil rights activist." 1969 100px|Clarence Mitchell Jr.  "Director, Washington Bureau, NAACP and civil rights lobbyist. For his pivotal role in the enactment of civil rights legislation." 1970  "Artist, teacher and humanitarian." 1971  "Clergyman, activist and prophet." 1972 100px|Jacob Lawrence  "In recognition of his unique creativity, as exemplified by his outstanding achievements as photographer, writer, film maker and composer." 1973  "Educator, in recognition of the stature he has attained as a national leader in the field of education." 1974 100px|Damon Keith  "Jurist; in tribute to his steadfast defense of constitutional principles." 1975 No award given 1976 100px|Hank Aaron  "Athlete, in recognition of his singular achievement in the sport which symbolizes America – baseball; his impressive home run record." 1977 100px|Alvin Ailey  "Innovative dancer, choreographer and artistic director." 100px|Alex Haley  "Author, biographer and lecturer; exhaustive research and literary skill combined in Roots." 1978 No award given 1979 100px|Andrew Young  "Minister plenipotentiary and extraordinary United States Ambassador to the United Nations."   "In recognition to the quiet courage and determination exemplified when she refused to surrender her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus." 1980  "Educator, historian, author for his prodigious efforts to set before the world the black American's continuing struggle against oppression." 1981  "Mayor, City of Detroit; public servant, labor leader." 1982 100px|Benjamin Mays  "Educator, theologian and humanitarian." 1983 100px|Lena Horne  "Artist humanitarian and living symbol of excellence." 1984 No award given 1985   "Government executive, public servant, humanist; Chief Executive of Calvert, Texas." 100px|Bill Cosby  "Humorist, artist, educator, family man and humanitarian." 1986  "Executive Director, NAACP. In tribute to his precedent-setting accomplishments." 1987  "Public servant, businessman, community leader." 1988  "Educator, doctor of veterinary medicine, visionary and humanitarian." 1989 100px|Jesse Jackson  "Clergyman, political leader, civil rights activist; first American of African descent to become a major presidential candidate." 1990 100px|Douglas Wilder  "Governor, public servant, attorney and visionary in tribute to an extraordinary life of accomplishment." 1991 100px|Colin Powell  "General of the U.S. Army, 12th Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Department of Defense." 1992 100px|Barbara Jordan  "Lawyer, educator, political leader and stateswoman." 1993 100px|Dorothy Height  "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 100px|Maya Angelou speaking at the first inauguration of President Bill Clinton  "Poet, author, actress, playwright, producer, educator and historian." 1995 100px|John Hope Franklin  "Historian, scholar and educator; in recognition of an unrelenting quest for truth and the enlightenment of Western Civilization." 1996 100px|A. Jeon Higginbotham Jr.  "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  "Journalist, publicist, civic leader and public servant." 1998 100px|Myrlie Evers-Williams  "Civil rights activist, risk-taker, mother, true believer." 1999  "Founder, Black Enterprise Magazine; Businessman, publisher, educator, advocate, entrepreneur, family man." 2000 100px|Oprah Winfrey  "Actress, producer, educator, publisher and humanitarian." 2001 100px|Vernon Jordan  "Lawyer, Advisor to Presidents, Champion of Civil Rights and Human Rights, Exemplar and True Believer." 2002 100px|John Lewis  "Public servant, protector of civil and human rights, community leader and inspirer of youth." 2003  "Civil rights pioneer, jurist, public official, for her commitment and pursuit of the goal of equal opportunity and justice for all Americans." 2004 100px|Robert L. Carter  "Attorney, educator, federal judge and guardian of civil rights; for his extraordinary achievement of winning twenty-one cases argued before the Supreme Court." 2005 100px|Oliver Hill  "For his key role in the United States Supreme Court Case, Brown v. Board; for his determined, quiet and persistent pursuit of justice." 2006 100px|Ben Carson  "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 100px|John Conyers  "Guardian of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, consummate legislator and public servant." 2008 100px|Ruby Dee  "Actress, poet, playwright and civil rights activist" 2009 100px|Julian Bond  "Former Chairman of the NAACP Board of Directors and legendary civil rights activist" 2010 100px|Cicely Tyson  "Actress and civil rights activist" 2011 100px|Frankie Muse Freeman  "Attorney and civil rights activist." 2012 100px|Harry Belafonte  "Singer, song writer, actor and social activist." 2013 100px|Jessye Norman  "Opera singer, Grammy Award winner." 2014 100px|Quincy Jones  "Composer, Producer, Grammy Award winner." 2015 100px|Sidney Poitier  "Actor and Social activist, Oscar Winner." 2016 100px|Nathaniel R. Jones  "Lawyer, Jurist, Academic and Public Servant"

References

General references




Category:1915 establishments in the United States
Category:American awards