Annual Freedom Award

The annual Freedom Award is an acknowledgement begun by Freedom House in 1943 to recognize outstanding leaders in the cause of freedom and democracy.

For more than 80 years, Freedom House has worked to defend human rights and promote democratic change by challenging unjust governments, defending civil liberties at home and abroad, and providing support for frontline activists who bravely strive for fundamental freedoms. We act as a catalyst for freedom through a unique combination of analysis, advocacy, and action. Our yearly awards honor courageous individuals and innovative groups that have made significant contributions to the cause of human rights and democracy.

Since 1943, our annual awards dinner recognizes outstanding leaders who have championed freedom and democracy, including His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Winston Churchill, Vaclav Havel, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Hala Al-Dosari, Edward R. Murrow and Bernard Baruch. 

Past Award Winners

• 2023 — The Women of Iran
• 2023 — Vladimir Kara-Murza
• 2022 — Maykel Castillo Pérez, Movimiento San Isidro (MSI)
• 2022 — Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Movimiento San Isidro (MSI)
• 2020 — Hong Kong's Pro-Democracy Movement, Hong Kong
• 2020 — Sudanese Professionals Association, Sudan
• 2020 — Organization of the December Revolution Martyrs' Families, Sudan
• 2019 — Ilham Tohti, Uyghur activist, China 
• 2018 — Elena Milashina, Journalist, Novoya Gazeta, Russia 
• 2018— Igor Kochetkov, Founder, Russian LGBT Network, Russia
• 2017— Luis Almagro, Organization of American States, Uruguay
• 2016— Hala Aldosari, Saudi Activist, Saudi Arabia
• 2016— Vian Dakhil, Iraqi Parliament, Iraq
• 2014— Maina Kiai, Kenyan Human Rights Commission, Kenya
• 2013— Chen Guancheng, Chinese Human Rights Activist, China
• 2012— Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Bahrain
• 2012— Maryam Al-Khawaja, Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Bahrain
• 2012— Zainab Al-Khawaja, Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Bahrain
• 2011— Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor of Burma, Burma
• 1996— Leonid Kuchma, Second President of Ukraine, Ukraine
• 1995— Sergei Kovalyov, Russian Human Rights Activist, Russia
• 1993— Lane Kirkland, President of AFL-CIO, USA
• 1993— Max M. Kampelman, U.S. Ambassador, USA
• 1993— Malcolm S. Forbes, Forbes, USA
• 1991— Vaclav Havel, First President of Czech Republic, Czech Rep.
• 1991— His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama,  Tibet
• 1977— Cushrow R. Irani, The Statesman, India
• 1975— Dong-A Ilbo, Newspaper, South Korea
• 1975— Responsible Journalists of Vietnam, Org., Vietnam
• 1973— 15 Soviet Dissenters, USSR
• 1969— Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, USA
• 1969— Milovan Djilas, Yugoslav politician, member of Partisan movement, Yugoslavia
• 1968— Pablo Casals, Musician/Composer, Spain (Catalonia) 
• 1967— Roy Wilkins, NAACP, USA
• 1966— Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States (at time of award), USA
• 1965— Harry S. Truman, Former President of United States, USA
• 1963— Medgar W. Evers, NAACP (posthumously), USA
• 1963— Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights activist, USA
• 1962— Jean Monnet, European Union - founding father, France
• 1961— Willy Brandt, German Politician (Chancellor in 1969), Germany
• 1960— Alan Paton, Anti-apartheid activist, South Africa
• 1959— Paul-Henri Spaak, European Union - founding father, Belgium
• 1958— The Arkansas Gazette, Newspaper, USA
• 1957— Hungarian Freedom Fighters, Hungary
• 1956— Luis Munoz Marin, First Governor of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
• 1956— Ramon Magaysay, Seventh President of the Philippines, Philippines
• 1955— Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the UK, UK
• 1954— Edward R. Murrow, CBS Broadcast Journalist, USA
• 1953— UN Soldiers in Korea (accepted by Dag Hammarskjöld), UN
• 1952— Matthew B. Ridgway, U.S. Army Chief of Staff, USA
• 1952— James B. Conant, President of Harvard, Ambassador to West Germany, USA
• 1951— Alberto Gainza Paz, La Prensa, Editor, Argentina
• 1951— Paul G. Hoffman, Ford Foundation, President, USA
• 1950— Dean Acheson, Secretary of State, USA
• 1949— David E. Lilienthal, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Chairman, USA
• 1949— Lucius D. Clay, U.S. Army, General, USA
• 1948— Arthur H. Vandenberg, U.S. Senator, helped create UN, USA
• 1947— George C. Marshall, Secretary of State, USA
• 1946— Bernard M. Baruch, Presidential advisor, philanthropist, USA
• 1945— Dwight D. Eisenhower, U.S. Army, General (at time of award), USA
• 1944— Sumner Welles, U.S. Diplomat, USA
• 1943— Walter Lippmann, Journalist, USA