Past Honorees
2020 Honorees
U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer
Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan
U.S. Senator Tom Udall
Chairman W. Ron Allen
Nedra Darling
2020 Special Recognition
Dr. Marcella LeBeau
2019 Honorees
U.S. Representative Ken Calvert
Heather Kendall-Miller
Robert D. Manfred, Jr.
Eugenia Tyner-Dawson
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
2018 Honorees
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran
Google American Indian Network
VAWA Pilot Tribes
Mark Trahant
2018 Special Recognition
Julie Johnson
Ray Halbritter
2017 Honorees
U.S. Representative Tom Cole
Norm DeWeaver
Lawrence Roberts
Chairman David Archambault, II
2017 Special Recognition
Keith Harper
Mary Smith
2016 Honorees
U.S. Representative Betty McCollum
Kevin Washburn
Byron Mallott
Mike Wise
2016 Special Recognition
Jesse Witten
Sherry Salway Black
2015 Honorees
U.S. Representative Devin Nunes
Jodi Gillette
Suzan Shown Harjo
National Criminal Justice Association
2015 Special Recognition
Robert Burnette
2014 Honorees
U.S Senator Mike Crapo
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
James Anaya
Kevin Gover
2014 Special Recognition
Chairman Earl Barbry, Sr.
Juanita Ahtone
2013 Honorees
U.S. Senator Patty Murray
The National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women
Andrew Lee
Administrator W. Craig Fugate
2012 Honorees
U.S. Congressman Don Young
Washington Interships for Native Students Programs
Dr. Eddie F. Brown
Assistant Secretary for Indians Affairs Larry Echo Hawk
2011 Honorees
U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
Billy Frank, Jr.
Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli
2011 Special Recognition
Wilma Pearl Mankiller
2010 Honorees
U.S. Congressman Xavier Becerra
Profs. Stephen Cornell & Joseph P. Kalt
Elouise Cobell
Dr. Eric Broderick
Marie Howard
2009 Honorees
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski
Roberta Valente, J.D.
Rachel Joseph
Scott Burns
2008 Honorees
U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman
Friends Committee on National Legislation – Native American Advocacy Program
Alan Parker
Governor Janet Napolitano
2007 Honorees
U.S. Congressman Tom Cole
Wade Henderson
John E. Echohawk
National Council of State Legislatures
2006 Honorees
Claude Allen
Boys and Girls Club
U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan
2005 Honorees
U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch
NMAI Opening Core Team
Dan Lewis, Bank of America
2004 Honorees
U.S. Civil Rights Commission
U.S. Representative Richard Pombo
Federal Communications Commission
2004 Special Recognition
Patricia Zell
Pat Babcock
2003 Honorees
The Late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone
Neal McCaleb
John Herrington, NASA Astronaut
2002 Honorees
U.S. Senator Thomas Daschle
Nike, Inc.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
2001 Honorees
U.S. Representative Dave Camp
U.S. Senator Pete Domenici
U.S. Representative Maxine Waters
2000 Honorees
Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante
U.S. Senator John McCain
U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy
1999 Honorees
U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell
U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye
U.S. Representative J. D. Hayworth
U.S. Representative Dale E. Kildee