An Archives feature published in the Winter 2022 Bulletin recounted the accidental discovery of a broadside advertising the Marquis de Lafayette’s 1824–1825 U.S. tour. Previously unknown to Academy staff, the broadside had been found hidden behind another framed engraving and was accessioned into the Academy’s collections in recognition of Lafayette’s status as a Foreign Honorary Member, elected in 1785.

July 2020 to June 2021 marked the most successful fundraising year in the Academy’s long history, with more than 1,200 donors contributing over $21 million. Over the course of the year, we celebrated the largest gift to the Academy on record, benefited from the most grant funding received in a single year from foundations, and together achieved a new high-water mark for the Annual Fund with over $2.1 million raised. At the close of the year, the Campaign for the Academy & Its Future had reached over 85 percent of its $100 million goal. On behalf of the Academy’s governance bodies and leadership team, we extend our sincere appreciation to all those who contributed to this remarkable outcome.

Online

The Spring 2023 issue of Dædalus on “Delivering Humanitarian Health Services in Violent Conflicts” features essays, poetry, fiction, and visual art to illuminate the dilemmas facing humanitarian health actors and the potential for innovation in humanitarian health delivery.

The Winter 2021 issue of Dædalus “On the Novel,” guest-edited by Michael Wood, features fourteen essays, written by scholars with a variety of approaches and interests, that offer remarkable insights into the behavior of this versatile literary form.

As Board Chair Nancy Andrews notes in her message, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect every aspect of Academy life. Yet despite the challenges of the last eighteen months, by nearly every measure the strength of our community of members has only increased.

Historian Bernard Bailyn opened the celebration of the 220th annual meeting of the Academy with a commentary on the personal characteristics of John Adams as revealed in his diary and his autobiography.

With the passing of Dave Frohnmayer on March 9, 2015, we have lost a remarkable statesman and friend. Although the sadness that comes with his absence will be felt for a long time, we can find comfort in reflecting on this amazing man’s life. He leaves behind a powerful legacy as a charismatic leader in the national and statewide political arena, in public higher education, in the health sector, and in a multitude of other public service roles.

Select Prizes and Awards to Members

A new publication from the Academy, released in January 2015, features selected materials from the Academy’s Archives. Published to celebrate the 235th anniversary of the institution’s founding in 1780, “Advancing Knowledge” reflects the rich intellectual history of the Academy and the nation.

A new study from the American Academy's Humanities Indicators project reveals trends among U.S. residents, and the impact of respondents’ political leanings, socioeconomic status, gender, and race.

Sandy Baum and Michael McPherson, members of the Academy's Commission on the Future of Undergraduate Education, write that the recent college admissions scandal represents a small fraction of college admissions and should not distract from persistent inequalities in higher education access.

As the photos and articles in this Bulletin convey, the Academy continues to deliver on its important mission of celebrating excellence and advancing the common good. We are well positioned to do so in light of the accomplishments of David Oxtoby, who served more than five years as Academy President and stepped down from the role in June. We are indebted to David for his tireless work in developing a robust range of projects and deepening relationships with our members. We are poised for continued strength and impact with the appointment of Laurie Patton, President of Middlebury College, as the Academy’s next President. A poet, humanist, and expert in South Asian culture and religion, Laurie brings a deep well of experience as a thought leader on democracy and pluralism, and as a seasoned executive at multiple institutions. We look forward to her arrival in January.

On behalf of the Development and Communications Committee, I would like to extend my deep gratitude to all the Fellows, friends, and foundations who supported the Academy this year.

The place of the military in the public consciousness has changed dramatically over time. In a Gallup poll from 2011 that measured the public’s confidence in sixteen major institutions, the military ranked higher than any other institution, with 78 percent of respondents stating their respect for and confidence in the armed forces. On December 7, 2011 – the seventieth anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor – the Academy convened a panel of scholars at Stanford University to discuss the military and international relations.

When the Federal Reserve celebrated its centennial in December 2013, it bore only passing resemblance to the institution created by Democrats, Progressives, and Populists just a century before.

Daedalus essay on "The Face of Battle Without the Rules of War" cited in Teen Vogue slideshow of photographs from the Indigenous Peoples March on Washington.