Philanthropist Wallis Annenberg, actor LeVar Burton, writer/director Aaron Sorkin and the late chef and TV personality Anthony Bourdain are among those who will be honored at the White House Monday with National Humanities Medals.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are expected to attend the private reception, during which the distinguished honors will be presented to 19 recipients.
“The National Humanities Medal recipients have enriched our world through writing that moves and inspires us; scholarship that enlarges our understanding of the past; and through their dedication to educating, informing, and giving voice to communities and histories often overlooked,” National Endowment for the Humanities Chair Shelly C. Lowe said in a statement. “I am proud to join President Biden in recognizing these distinguished leaders for their outstanding contributions to our nation’s cultural life.”
The awards are presented to people or organizations “whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the human experience, broadened citizens’ engagement with history or literature, or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to cultural resources,” according to NEH.
A total of 225 National Humanities Medals have been presented since the honor was created in 1996.
In recognizing Wallis Annenberg’s inclusion on the list of honorees, the Annenberg Foundation issued a statement saying, “Since assuming chairmanship, Annenberg’s robust philanthropy has impacted more than 2,800 nonprofits and other organizations and special projects, including training for nonprofit leaders. She has catalyzed an array of interventions and projects that reflect the Annenberg Foundation’s core values of community, compassion, diversity, and fairness.”
The full list of recipients is:
— Wallis Annenberg, philanthropist;
— Appalshop, community arts and programming center;
— Joy Harjo, poet;
— Robin Harris, principal and educator;
— Juan Felipe Herrera, writer;
— Robert Martin, administrator in Indigenous higher education;
— Jon Meacham, writer and historian;
— Ruth J. Simmons, academic administrator in higher education;
— Pauline Yu, scholar of Chinese literature;
— Anthony Bourdain (posthumous), chef and author;
— LeVar Burton, actor and literacy advocate;
— Roz Chast, cartoonist and author;
— Nicolás Kanellos, scholar and publisher of Hispanic literature;
— Robin Wall Kimmerer, scholar and author;
— Mellon Foundation, philanthropic organization;
— Dawn Porter, filmmaker;
— Aaron Sorkin, playwright, screenwriter, and director;
— Darren Walker, social justice philanthropist; and
— Rosita Worl, anthropologist and cultural leader.
According to NEH, the 2022 and 2023 National Medals of Arts will also be presented during Monday’s ceremony. Among those recipients are Missy Elliott, Idina Menzel, Carrie Mae Weems, Queen Latifah, Spike Lee, and Steven Spielberg.