The Emerson-Thoreau Medal was established in 1958 to give special recognition to distinguished achievement in the broad field of literature. The prize is awarded for a lifetime of literary achievement rather than for a specific work. It is named for Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. It was first given to Robert Frost in 1958, and has since been presented to other notable authors such as T.S. Eliot, Hannah Arendt, Saul Bellow, Norman Mailer, and Toni Morrison. Most recently it has been awarded to Margaret Atwood in 2020.
