The National Civil Rights Museum’s 35th Annual Freedom Award is a milestone event, arriving in the Museum’s Legacy Year celebrating its 35th anniversary and the reopening of The Legacy Experience. Since the Freedom Award was established in 1991, it has recognized individuals whose tenacity, determination, and tireless efforts have contributed significantly to civil and human rights. Past honorees form a roster that reads like a who’s who of history: Nelson Mandela, Coretta Scott King, John Lewis, Oprah Winfrey, Rosa Parks, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and many others. A 35th Freedom Award carries the full weight of that tradition and the additional significance of a museum marking three and a half decades of its own history and impact.
The Freedom Award is not simply a ceremony. It is the Museum’s annual declaration that civil rights work is alive, that people are doing it right now, and that the community has a responsibility to see them, celebrate them, and be moved by them. Each year, honorees are selected from across the fields of civic leadership, human rights, public health, education, the arts, and public service. The announcement of honorees typically comes several weeks before the event and is itself a major moment, drawing national media attention and spurring public conversation about the state of civil and human rights in America.
The 35th Freedom Award will take place on Thursday, October 1, 2026. Details including honorees, venue, ticket information, and full program have not yet been released publicly. Updates will be posted at civilrightsmuseum.org and freedomaward.org as they become available. Mark your calendar now. This is the Museum’s signature evening of the year, and it is not one to miss.