Nation’s Oldest Learned Societies Present Public Good Awards to Billingtion,
Franklin, and O'Connor
Washington, DC, April 28, 2007– The American
Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, meeting
jointly for the first time here, will present lifetime achievement awards to
three distinguished Americans at a ceremony at the Library of Congress on
Saturday, April 28.
Librarian of the Congress James H. Billington,
historian and scholar John Hope Franklin, and former Supreme
Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will receive the Public Good
Award from the two organizations in recognition of their significant
contributions to the advancement of learning and knowledge. The presentation
will take place before members of the nation’s oldest learned societies, and
also feature remarks by author E.L. Doctorow, readings by poet and Boston
University scholar Rosanna Warren, and a performance by singer Emmylou Harris.
The event is part of The Public Good: Knowledge as the
Foundation for a Democratic Society, a two-and-a-half-day series of
panel discussions, conversations, and dinner programs that focus on some of the
most pressing issues facing the nation. The meeting brings together 800 of the
foremost scientists, humanists and leaders in business and public affairs from
around the country.
Billington is being recognized for his visionary
leadership of the Library of Congress, path breaking scholarship, and strong
advocacy for libraries and cultural institutions. The Public Good Award
citation, to be presented by former Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD),
states:
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“Historian, librarian, teacher, administrator, communicator, custodian and
disseminator of learning, you have recognized and advanced the power of
knowledge as intrinsic to intercultural understanding. From books to bytes, in
print and online, you have brought a great house of learning into the digital
age, ensuring that Jefferson’s dream of “a universal collection of human
knowledge” is a reality for all.”
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Franklin is being recognized for being a stalwart
champion of civil rights in America and one of the most respected historians of
his generation. The Public Good Award citation, to be presented by
Duke University Law Professor and former U.S. Solicitor General Walter
Dellinger III, states:
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“You held up a “Mirror to America,” bore witness to inequality and injustice,
and acted against both. Your seminal scholarship has reshaped our understanding
of America, providing both blacks and whites with a new reflection of
themselves and each other. As the consummate teacher, you reached out to
instruct this nation and inspired millions of Americans to grasp a present and
a future long owed to them. You personify the great humanitarian; a courageous
and gentle man whose strong words and quiet actions are beyond measure. All of
us who value freedom and opportunity stand tall in your presence.”
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O’Connor is being recognized for a lifetime of public service, as an assistant
state attorney general, state legislator, and trailblazing jurist. The Public
Good Award citation, to be presented by attorney Conrad Harper,
states:
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“Intelligence, independence, and integrity have defined your life and work. For
those faced with personal and professional challenges, and especially for
women, you demonstrated courage, raised expectations, and overcame barriers
with strength, spirit, and tenacity. To the Supreme Court, you brought a
much-needed voice for fairness, balance, and moderation. In a world beset by
divisions, you continue to build bridges and to affirm the importance of public
service through your principled words and actions.”
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Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and
Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts
multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. Current Academy
research focuses on science and global security; social policy; the humanities
and culture; and education. The Academy publishes the quarterly journal Dædalus
. With headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Academy’s work is advanced
by its 4,600 elected members, who are leaders in the academic disciplines, the
arts, business and public affairs from around the world.
(www.amacad.org)
The American Philosophical Society, founded in
Philadelphia in 1743, is an honorary learned society of 750 resident and 150
international members who are elected in recognition of their outstanding
achievements in the arts and sciences or for their distinguished public
service. The Society holds biannual meetings for its members, supports a major
library specializing in the history of modern science and in American history
to 1840, publishes a quarterly journal and scholarly books, maintains an
exhibition program, awards prizes for distinguished academic achievement,
scholarship, and public service, and annually awards more than $1,400,000 in
research grants and fellowships to nearly 200 scholars.
(www.amphilsoc.org)
The joint meeting at which the awards were presented is
a project of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands in partnership with
the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical
Society.
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