The Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2023 annual History Awards, recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions in the field of history in the state of Washington. This year’s award recipients represent exceptional efforts in advancing historical projects, teaching, writing, and promoting cultural understanding.
The 2023 History Awards recipients are:
Lifetime Achievement Award – Dr. Robert Carriker, Gonzaga University
Dr. Robert Carriker has been awarded the highest honor of the WSHS, the Lifetime Achievement Award (formerly known as the Robert Gray Medal), for his significant and long-term contributions to Pacific Northwest history. For 47 years, Dr. Carriker taught history at Gonzaga University where he was the only faculty member awarded the prestigious Teaching and Scholar award twice. He has directed eight National Endowment for the Humanities seminars on Lewis and Clark, delivered over 50 papers to numerous Pacific Northwest organizations, and served as a scholar for humanities councils in both Washington and Idaho. Dr. Carriker has been a prolific writer, authoring or co-authoring numerous books, journal contributions, encyclopedia entries, and newspaper articles throughout his career. In addition, he served for 30 years as a book review editor for COLUMBIA Magazine.
David Douglas Award – Susan Monahan, Fort Walla Walla Museum
Susan Monahan of the Fort Walla Walla Museum has been awarded the David Douglas Award for her significant contribution in informing and expanding appreciation of Washington State history. Her book on local architecture, ), drew in record-breaking attendance to her presentation at the Fort Walla Walla Museum. Her work was also exhibited at the museum and a local retirement community. Susan’s engaging presentations and walking tours of Walla Walla—filled with fascinating stories about the buildings, architects, and diverse lives lived within them—have made history compelling for her audiences. Her efforts have encouraged people to see the rich history in their daily physical environment and connect with the past as they shape the future.
Service to Local History Award – Paul Kikuchi, Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington (JCCCW)
Paul Kikuchi has been awarded the inaugural Service to Local History Award for his exceptional volunteer service to the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington (JCCCW). Since 2014, Paul has been an advisor for the community-donated music archive at JCCCW where he has helped secure funding; guided the preservation and cataloging process; and organized exhibits and events to share the collection with the community. He is particularly enthusiastic about preserving, digitizing, and sharing the JCCCW’s collection of acetate home recordings, which were made in the homes of Japanese Americans from the late 1930s through the 1950s. In addition to his volunteer work, Paul is a tenured music faculty at South Seattle College, where he is dedicated to decolonizing music curricula and fostering lifelong connections to music.
Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching History – Don Jenkins, Central Valley School District
Don Jenkins, a teacher with the Central Valley School District in Spokane, has been awarded the prestigious Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching History in Washington State. The award, established by the Washington State Legislature, recognizes outstanding contributions by a teacher of Pacific Northwest history. Don Jenkins, a social studies educator with thirty years of experience, teaches Pacific Northwest history by incorporating innovative activities in his classes, such as the civics program Project Citizen, engaging games, inquiry design projects, and global education collaborations with schools in India and the Philippines. He is a National Board Certified teacher and has received multiple accolades, including being selected as the 2021 Middle-Level Teacher of the Year by the National Council on Social Studies. Don Jenkins is also a Fulbright Scholar, a Fellow for the Korean War Legacy Foundation, and works with iCivics Educating for American Democracy curriculum project.
John McClelland, Jr. Award – Shelly Boyd, Jerry Johnson, and Amelia Chiu
(Articles appearing in COLUMBIA Magazine issues published during both 2021 and 2022 will be honored this year due to award cycle disruption from COVID.) The John McClelland, Jr. Award recognizes the best article published in COLUMBIA Magazine, the quarterly publication of the WSHS. These articles exemplify the readability and general interest that typify COLUMBIA Magazine.
Shelly Boyd‘s article Save the Language and the Language Will Save You from the Fall 2021 issue and Jerry Johnson‘s article Rediscovering Alma Glass from the Winter 2021 have been co-awarded for the 2021 issues. Amelia Chiu has been awarded for her Fall 2022 article Miscommunication During the Yakama War.
Charles Gates Memorial Award – Ross Coen
The Charles Gates Memorial Award recognizes the most significant achievement among articles published in the University of Washington’s Pacific Northwest Quarterly. Ross Coen has been awarded for the article Elizabeth Peratrovich Day: Constructing a History of Alaska Native Civil Rights, published in the Summer 2021 issue.
R. Lorraine Wojahn Award – Chieko Phillips, 4Culture and Stephanie Johnson-Toliver, Black Heritage Society of Washington State
The R. Lorraine Wojahn Award for outstanding volunteer service at the Washington State Historical Society is being shared this year by Chieko Phillips and Stephanie Johnson-Toliver.
Chieko Phillips, the program director for 4Culture, has been a respected advisor and regular volunteer supporting the mission of the WSHS, and in particular the work of the Heritage Outreach Department. She has partnered with WSHS staff to organize listening sessions, workshops, and initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the heritage sector, especially during the pandemic and in the context of racial justice.
Stephanie Johnson-Toliver, president of the Black Heritage Society of Washington, has worked tirelessly in partnership with the WSHS to develop programs around the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibition, The Negro Motorist Green Book. She has also provided valuable input and consultation on the committee for developing the upcoming app Black Washington: Stories, Landmarks, and Icons.
Teen Historian Award – Vibha Sathish Kumar, North Creek High School, Bothell
The Washington State Teen Historian Award is open to senior division (grades 9-12) students competing in the Washington History Day state contest. Vibha Sathish Kumar received the Teen Historian Award for her award-winning documentary, titled Seattle’s Soul After Internment, presented at the 2022 Washington History Day state contest. The documentary delves into the lives of Japanese Americans who returned to Seattle after the internment camps closed during the final months of World War II and explores the different responses and attitudes towards the returning Japanese Americans in Seattle. As part of her award, she had the opportunity to complete a residency this past summer with the WSHS to gather more comprehensive information about the range of experiences and attitudes of Japanese Americans returning to Seattle, which she used to revise her documentary.
The History Awards review committee was chaired by John Hughes, chief historian for Legacy Washington, and included Heather Hirotaka, state archivist for the Secretary of State’s Office; Jerry Price, social studies program supervisor for the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Tisa Matheson, curator of American Indian Collection at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture; Peter Boag, Columbia Chair in the History of the American West at Washington State University; Stephanie Johnson-Toliver, president of the Black Heritage Society of Washington State; Jennifer Ott, assistant director of HistoryLink; and Pam James, tribal liaison for the Washington State Historical Society.
For tickets to the History Awards and more information about the Washington State Historical Society visit www.WashingtonHistory.org.