Since 1986 the Board of the Idaho Humanities Council annually gives an award to an individual and/or organization for Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities. The award is given annually to either a person or an organization, such as a scholar for writing a significant book, a project director for implementing an excellent public humanities program, a university or college for significantly improving its humanities programs, a school district or individual school for developing a model curriculum, or any number of other people or institutions for high achievement that fosters greater understanding or appreciation of the humanities.
2021 Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities recipient Kurt Ikeda
Previous Recipients
2020
Hope Benedict
Lemhi County Historical SocietyPresident
2020
Mary Reed
Latah County Historical SocietyRetired, Executive Director
2019
David Lachiondo
Retired, Associate Director of Basque StudiesBoise State University
2018
Janet Gallimore
Idaho State Historical SocietyExecutive Director
2017
Jim Jones
Former Idaho Supreme Court Justice2016
Susan Swetnam
Idaho State UniversityEmerita English Professor
2015
Jan Boles
College of IdahoArchivist, Photographer
2014
Judith Austin
Historian, Editor & Author2013
Peter Morrill
Idaho Public TelevisionGeneral Manager
2012
Alan Marshall
Lewis-Clark State CollegeAnthropology Professor
2011
Virginia Tinsley Johnson
North Idaho CollegeFormer Emeritus English Professor & Humanities Administrator
2011
Russ Heller
Boise Independent SchoolsSocial Studies Supervisor
2010
David Adler
U.S. Constitution Scholar2009
Patty Miller
Basque Museum & Cultural CenterDirector
2008
Ronald Hatzenbuehler
Idaho State UniversityHistory Professor
2007
M.K. “Keith” Browning
Lewis-Clark State CollegeEmeritus Professor of English, founder of Confluence Press
2006
Tony Stewart
North Idaho CollegeProfessor of Political Science
2005
William Studebaker
College of Southern IdahoEnglish Professor, Poet
2004
Robert Sims
Boise State UniversityEmeritus Professor of History
2003
Brian Attebery
Idaho State UniversityProfessor of English, Science Fiction Scholar
2002
Horace Axtell
Nez Perce Tribal Elder2001
Mary Clearman Blew
University of IdahoProfessor of English, Writer
2000
Louise Shadduck
Historian, Author1999
Arthur Hart
Historian, Author1998
Gov. Robert E. Smylie
Former Governor, Author1997
James C. Woods
College of Southern IdahoArchaeologist, Director of CSI’s Herrett Center
1996
Dennis Colson
University of IdahoProfessor of Law
1995
Jerry Glenn
Ricks CollegeIdaho historian, Professor of Religion & Library Science
1994
Hugh Nichols
Lewis-Clark State CollegeProfessor of English
1993
Peggy McClendon
Idaho State LibraryLibrarian, “Let’s Talk About It” Coordinator
1992
Marvin Henberg
University of IdahoProfessor of Philosophy
1991
Merle Wells
Idaho State Historian Emeritus1990
Baxter Mow
Idaho Rhoades Scholar1989
Louie Attebery
College of IdahoProfessor of English & Folklore
1988
Carlos Schwantes
University of IdahoProfessor of History and Author
1987
Tom Rybus
Idaho Humanities CouncilFormer Assistant Director
1986