Eugene V. Debs Award

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The Eugene V. Debs Award is an award accorded by the Eugene V. Debs Foundation, in Terre Haute, Indiana, each year since 1965 (apart from 2020), honoring a person or organization whose work has been consistent with the spirit, values, and legacy of Eugene V. Debs and who has contributed to the advancement of the causes of industrial unionism, social justice, or world peace.

Contents

Recipients

YearRecipientFieldDescription
1965 John L. Lewis Industrial UnionismLabor leader, served as president of the United Mine Workers of America from 1920 to 1960.
1966 Norman Thomas World PeaceAmerican Presbyterian minister who achieved fame as a socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America.
1967 A. Philip Randolph Industrial Unionism, Social JusticeCivil rights leader, labor leader, socialist political leader.
1968 Walter Reuther Industrial UnionismAmerican labor union leader, who made the United Automobile Workers a major force not only in the auto industry but also in the Democratic Party and the Congress of Industrial Organizations in the mid 20th century.
1969 H.E. Gilbert Industrial UnionismPresident, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen
1970 Patrick E. Gorman Industrial UnionismPresident, Amalgamated Meat Cutters
1971 Dorothy Day Social Justice, World PeaceAmerican journalist, and social activist
1973 Michael Harrington Social JusticeAmerican democratic socialist, writer, and political activist
1974 Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. Social JusticeAmerican historian, social critic, and public intellectual
1975 Ruben Levin Industrial UnionismFounder, Labor Press Associates Manager and editor of LABOR magazine
1976 Martin H. Miller Industrial UnionismNational Legislative Representative for the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
1977 Frank Zeidler Social JusticeAmerican Socialist politician and Mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1978 Jesse Jackson Social JusticeAmerican civil rights activist, Baptist minister, and politician
1979 Pete Seeger Social JusticeAmerican folk singer and social activist
1980 William W. Winpisinger Industrial UnionismInternational President, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
1981 Kurt Vonnegut Social Justice, World PeaceAmerican writer
1982 Coretta Scott King Social JusticeAmerican author, activist, civil rights leader, and the widow of Martin Luther King Jr.
1983 Studs Terkel Social JusticeAmerican author, historian, actor, and broadcaster
1984 William H. Wynn Industrial UnionismFounder/Organizer, United Food and Commercial Workers
1985 Jack Sheinkman Industrial UnionismPresident, Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union
1986 Joseph L. Rauh Jr. Social JusticeCivil rights and civil liberties attorney
1987 Ed Asner Social Justice, Industrial UnionismActor, activist, president, Screen Actors Guild
1988 Joyce D. Miller Social Justice, Industrial UnionismLabor activist, feminist, founding member of the Coalition of Labor Union Women
1989 Morton Bahr Industrial UnionismPresident, Communications Workers of America
1990 Lynn R. Williams Industrial UnionismCanadian labour leader; President, United Steelworkers
1991 John Sayles Social JusticeAmerican independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor and novelist
1992 Ralph Nader Social JusticeAmerican political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney
1993 Dolores Huerta Industrial Unionism, Social JusticeAmerican labor leader and civil rights activist; Co-founder, National Farmworkers Association
1994 Richard Trumka Industrial UnionismOrganized labor leader; President, United Mine Workers
1995 Jim Hightower Social JusticeAmerican syndicated columnist, progressive political activist, and author
1996 Victor Saul Navasky Social JusticeAmerican journalist, editor and academic
1997 John Sweeney Industrial UnionismLabor leader; President, AFL–CIO
1998 Howard Zinn Social Justice, World PeaceAmerican historian, playwright, and social activist
1999 Gloria Tapscott Johnson Social Justice, Industrial UnionismAmerican unionist, labor feminist
2000 Michael Sullivan Industrial UnionismPresident, Sheet Metal Workers' International Association
2001 Al Chesser Industrial UnionismNational Legislative Director, United Transportation Union
2002 Julian Bond Social JusticeSocial activist, civil rights leader, politician, professor and writer
2003 Molly Ivins Social JusticeAmerican newspaper columnist, author, political commentator, and humorist
2004 Bruce S. Raynor Industrial UnionismUnionist; President, Workers United; General President of UNITE HERE
2005 Thomas Frank Social JusticeAmerican political analyst, historian, journalist, and columnist
2006 Brave New Films Social JusticeMedia/news/documentary company
2007 Barbara Ehrenreich Social JusticeAmerican author and political activist
2008 Cecil Roberts Industrial UnionismPresident, United Mine Workers of America
2009 Ron Gettelfinger Industrial UnionismPresident, United Auto Workers
2010 Bobby Duvall Social JusticeHuman rights advocate
2011 Danny Glover Social JusticeActor, civil rights activist, political activist
2012 Clayola Brown Industrial Unionism, Social JusticeUnion leader, civil rights activist
2013 Eliseo Medina Industrial Unionism, Social JusticeMexican-American labor union activist
2014 Sara Horowitz Industrial UnionismFounder, Freelancers Union
2015 Jim Boland Industrial UnionismPresident, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
2016 Cindy Sheehan World Peace, Social JusticePeace activist, political activist
2017 Jobs With Justice Industrial Unionism, Social JusticeLabor equality organization
2018 William "Bill" Lucy Industrial Unionism, Social JusticeUnion leader, Civil rights activist
2019 Mary Kay Henry on behalf of the SEIU [1] Labor and civil rights activist
2021 Innocence Project Social JusticeLegal advocacy organization
2022 A. Philip Randolph Institute Industrial Unionism, Social JusticeAfrican-American trade unionists organization
2023 Lynne Fox Industrial UnionismPresident, Workers United

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References

  1. "2019 Award Winner - Mary Kay Henry". debsfoundation.org. Debs Foundation. 2019. Archived from the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2019.