The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is awarded periodically by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) at the Governors Awards ceremonies for an individual's "outstanding contributions to humanitarian causes". Prior to 2009 and in 2021, this award was presented during the main Oscars ceremony. The award category was instituted in 1956 and first awarded at the 29th Academy Awards, in March 1957. Unlike the Academy Award of Merit, the awards are restricted with the nomination and voting limited to industry professionals that are members of the Board of Governors of AMPAS.
History
The award is named after Danish American screen actor and humanitarian Jean Hersholt (1886–1956), who served as president of the Motion Picture Relief Fund for 18 years. He also served as president of AMPAS from 1945 to 1949. Winners of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award are presented with an Academy Award Oscar statuette. As of the 92nd Academy Awards, there have been 39 awards presented, two of which were posthumous.
List of recipients + Key Indicates posthumous award
YearImageRecipientNationality 1956 1957 1959 1960 1961 1962 1965 – 1966 – 1967 1968 1969 1970 1972 1973 1974 1975 – 1977 1978 1979 – 1981 1982 – 1983 1984 1985 1989 1992 1993 1994 2001 2004 – 2006 2008 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2019 2021 – 2022 2023 Michael J. Fox 2024 Michelle Satter 2025 Richard Curtis 2026 Dolly Parton
See also List of posthumous Academy Award winners and nominees
Notes
References