2016 Humanist of the Year Jared Diamond with former AHA Executive Director Roy Speckhardt
The Humanist of the Year award was established in 1953 to recognize a person of national or international reputation who, through the application of humanist values, has made a significant contribution to the improvement of the human condition. Selection of the awardee is based on research derived from biographical data, writings, studies, and contributions to humanity. Nominations are accepted from AHA members and considered by the AHA Board Awards Committee.
Awards from the American Humanist Association are given to recognize specific accomplishments that advance humanism in various scientific disciplines, as well as in the arts, in politics, and in modern culture. The Humanist of the Year award and the Lifetime Achievement award recognize the accomplishments and work of the individuals reflecting humanist values up to the date of the award and in concert with the prevailing humanist thought of the time. Since humanism is an evolving philosophy where we continually strive for improvement, some awardees we recognized in the past would no longer meet our current standards. As humanists we also recognize that people are imperfect and may at times lose sight of the values and ethics that previously guided their humanistic behavior.
2024
Humanist of the Year: Amy Goodman
Ted Chiang, Inquiry and Innovation Humanist Award
Karen Hao, Humanist Media Award
Rep. Jamie Raskin and Rep. Jared Huffman, Religious Liberty Award
2023
Humanist of the Year: Dr. Michael E. Mann
Dr. Stephon Alexander, Isaac Asimov Science Award
Dr. David Breeden, Humanist Distinguished Service Award
2021
Humanist of the Year: Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.
The American Humanist Association celebrated 80 years of humanism at our 80th Annual Conference in July, 2021.
Watch video from Dr. Fauci’s acceptance speech here.
2020
Humanist of the Year: Rep. Jared Huffman
In addition to our Humanist of the Year, in September the AHA partnered with the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard to present the 2020 Harvard Humanist of the Year Award to three inspiring humanists: Ijeoma Oluo, Sikivu Hutchinson, and Mandisa Thomas.
Learn more about these awardees here.
Mandisa Thomas, Sikivu Hutchinson, and Ijeoma Oluo
2019
Humanist of the Year: Salman Rushdie
Pamela Gay, Isaac Asimov Science Award
Barry Kosmin, Lifetime Achievement Award
Leighann Lord, Humanist Arts Award
Mara Wilson, LGBTQ Humanist Award
Richard Wiseman, Humanist Media Award
In addition to these awards, Dr. K. Veeramani was presented with the 2019 Humanist Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 Humanism and Self-Respect Conference co-hosted by the AHA and Periyar International. Learn more about Dr. Veeramani and the conference here.
2018
Humanist of the Year: Jennifer Ouellette
Dan Blinn, President’s Award
Andrew Bradley, Humanist Arts Award
Deven Green, Humanist Arts Award
Gavin Grimm, Keynote Speaker
Ana Kasparian, Humanist Media Award
Ijeoma Oluo, Feminist Humanist Award
David Suzuki, Lifetime Achievement Award
2017
Humanist of the Year: Adam Savage
Susie Bright, Feminist Humanist Award
Martin Castro, Religious Liberty Award
Staceyann Chin, LGBTQ Humanist Award
Sylvia Earle, Isaac Asimov Science Award
Dot Scott, Keynote Speaker
Herb Silverman, Lifetime Achievement Award
Jim Peterson, President’s Award
2016
Humanist of the Year: Jared Diamond
Medea Benjamin, Humanist Heroine Award
Sen. Ernie Chambers, Lifetime Achievement Award
John de Lancie, Humanist Arts Award
Victoria Gettman, President’s Award
Elizabeth Loftus, Isaac Asimov Award
John Shelby Spong, Religious Liberty Award
2015
Kelly Carlin, Keynote Speaker
Jean Kilbourne, Humanist Heroine Award
Marci Hamilton, Religious Liberty Award
Seena Vali, The Onion, Humanist Media Award
Lynn Rothschild, Isaac Asimov Science Award
Isaiah Smith, Humanist Pioneer Award
2014
Humanist of the Year: Barney Frank
Natalie Angier, Humanist Media Award
Greg Graffin, Humanist Arts Award
Steve Rade, Humanist Business Award
Dr. Eugenie Scott, Lifetime Achievement Award
Max Tegmark, Keynote Speaker
Jessica Valenti, Humanist Heroine Award
2013
Humanist of the Year: Dan Savage
Greta Christina, LGBT Humanist Pride
Carl Coon, Lifetime Achievement Award
Richard Leakey, Isaac Asimoc Science Award
Katha Pollitt, Humanist Heroine Award
2012
Humanist of the Year: Gloria Steinem
Jessica Ahlquist & Damon Fowler, Humanist Pioneer Awards
Ira Flatow, Isaac Asimov Science Award
Debra Sweet, Humanist Heroine Award
James Randi, Lifetime Achievement Award
George Takei, LGBT Humanist Pride Award
Cenk Uygur, Humanist Media Award
2011
Humanist of the Year: Rebecca Newberger Goldstein
Bart Ehrman, Religious Liberty Award
Judy Norsigian, Humanist Heroine Award
Steve Wozniak, Isaac Asimov Science Award
2010
Humanist of the Year: Bill Nye
Frank Berger, Lifetime Achievement Award
Meg Bowman, Humanist Heroine Awards
Annie Laurie Gaylor, Humanist Heroine Award
Wendy Liu, Humanist Pioneer Award
2009
Humanist of the Year: PZ Myers
Barbara Forrest, Humanist Pioneer Award
Norma Ramos, Humanist Heroine Award
Neil deGrasse Tyson, Isaac Asimov Science Award
2008
Humanist of the Year: Pete Stark
Judge John E. Jones III, Humanist Religious Liberty Award
Matthew LaClair, Humanist Pioneer Award
Eleanor Smeal, Humanist Heroine Award
Carolyn Porco, Isaac Asimov Science Award
Philip Pullman, International Humanist Award
Maryland State Senator Jamie Raskin, Humanist Distinguished Service Award
2007
Humanist of the Year: Joyce Carol Oates
Steven R. Benson, Humanist Arts Award
Welton Gaddy, Humanist Religious Liberty Award
Paul Kurtz, Lifetime Achievement Award
Robin Morgan, Humanist Heroine Award
2006
Humanist of the Year: Steven Pinker
Louis Appignani, Humanist Business Award
Kim Gandy, Humanist Heroine and Humanist Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Herbert Hauptman, Isaac Asimov Science Award
Julia Sweeney, Humanist Pioneer Award
2005
Humanist of the Year: Murray Gell-Mann
Ursula Goodenough, Humanist Pioneer Award
Amy Goodman, Humanist Heronine Award
Jim McCollum, Humanist Religious Liberty Award
Ellery Schempp, Humanist Religious Liberty Award
Robert Tapp, Horace Mann Humanist Education Award
2004
Humanist of the Year: Daniel C. Dennett
Joseph and Barbara Gerstein, Humanist Pioneer Awards
Aileen Hernandez, Humanist Heroine Award
Michael Newdow, Humanist Pioneer Award
Joe Nickel, Isaac Asimov Award
Nadine Strossen, Religious Liberty Award
2003
Humanist of the Year: Sherwin T. Wine
Gloria Feldt, Humanist Distinguished Service Award
Kate Michelmann, Humanist Heroine Award
Helen Thomas, Religious Liberty Award
2002
Humanist of the Year: Steven Weinberg
Jim Hightower, Humanist Pioneer Award
Samantha Smoot, Humanist Heroine Award
2001
Humanist of the Year: Stephen Jay Gould
Wendy Kaminer, Humanist Pioneer Award
Pat Duffy Hutcheon, Distinguished Service Award
Diana Russell, Humanist Heroine Award
2000
Humanist of the Year: Bill Schulz
Molly MacGregor, Humanist Heroine Award
1999
Humanist of the Year: Edward O. Wilson
Lorrie Williams, Humanist Heroine Award
1998
Humanist of the Year: Barbara Ehrenreich
Loretta F. Ross, Humanist Heroine Award
1997
Humanist of the Year: Alice Walker
Dottie Lamm, Humanist Heroine Award
1996
Annette Van Howe, Humanist Heroine Award
Riane Eisler, Humanist Pioneer Award
1995
Humanist of the Year: Ashley Montagu
Rosemary Matson, Humanist Heroine Award
1994
Humanists of the Year: Lloyd Morain & Mary Morain
Kristin Lemes, Humanist Heroine Award
1993
Humanist of the Year: Richard D. Lamm
Barbara G. Walker, Humanist Heroine Award
1992
Humanist of the Year: Kurt Vonnegut
Sally Roesch Wagner, Humanist Heroine Award
1991
Humanists of the Year: Werner Fornos & Lester R. Brown
Sherry Matulis, Humanist Heroine Award
Gene Roddenberry, Humanist Arts Award
Sherwin Wine, Humanist Pioneer Award
1990
Humanist of the Year: Ted Turner
Carolyn McDade, Humanist Heroine Award
1989
Humanist of the Year: Gerald A. Larue
Ann Simonton, Humanist Heroine Award
1988
Humanist of the Year: Leo Pfeffer
Cleo Kocol, Humanist Heroine Award
1987
Humanist of the Year: Margaret Atwood
Fran Hosken, Humanist Heroine Award
1986
Humanist of the Year: Faye Wattleton
Ben Munson, MD, Humanist Heroine Award
1985
Humanist of the Year: John Kenneth Galbraith
Katharine Hepburn, Humanist Arts Award
Anne Nicol Gaylor, Humanist Heroine Award
1984
Humanist of the Year: Isaac Asimov
Tish Sommers, Humanist Heroine Award
1983
Humanist of the Year: Lester A. Kirkendall
Christine Craft, Humanist Heroine Award
1982
Humanist of the Year: Helen Caldicott
Sonia Johnson, Humanist Heroine Award
1981
Humanist of the Year: Carl Sagan
1980
Humanist of the Year: Andrei Sakharov
1979
Humanist of the Year: Edwin H. Wilson
1978
Humanist of the Year: Margaret E. Kuhn
1977
Humanist of the Year: Corliss Lamont
Norman Lear, Humanist Arts Award