Photograph © William B. McCullough
“One of America’s greatest living writers.”
—The Washington Post
David McCullough’s Awards & Accolades
Honorary Degrees (55)
Air University, 2015
Allegheny College, 1981
American University of Paris, 2012
Bates College, 2006
Beloit College, 1996
Boston College , 2008
Brandeis University, 2003
Brown University, 2001
Bucknell University, 2008
Chatham College, 1994
College of the Holy Cross, 2006
College of William and Mary, 1996
Colorado College, 1985
Dartmouth College, 2003
Dickinson College, 1998
Duquesne University, 2016
Eastern Nazarene College, 2009
Emerson College, 2017
Georgetown University, 1995
Grand Valley State University, 2001
Grinnell College, 1997
Hamilton College, 1996
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1991
Lafayette College, 1995
Lesley University, 2013
Marquette University, 2011
Middlebury College, 1986
Northeastern University, 2002
Ohio State University, 2003
Ohio University, 2004
Rensselaer Polytech Institute, 1983
Skidmore College, 1983
St. John Fisher College, 2013
State University of NY, 1999
Suffolk University, 2013
Tufts University, 2001
Union College, 1994
University of Connecticut, 1999
University of Delaware, 2001
University of Massachusetts, 1998
University of Miami, 1996
University of Michigan, 2013
University of New Hampshire, 1993
University of Oklahoma, 2009
University of Pittsburgh, 1994
University of South Carolina, 1993
University of Utah, 2009
University of Vermont, 2002
Villanova University, 1984
Washington College, 1994
Wesleyan University, 1984
Wheaton College, 2002
William Jewell College, 2007
Worcester Polytech Institute, 1984
Yale University, 1998
Awards for Work Overall
New York Public Library Literary Lion Award (1981)
Emmy for Public Television (1985)
Sarah Josepha Hale Award (1987)
St Louis Literary Award (1993)
Pennsylvania Governor’s Award (1993)
John P McGovern Award (1993)
Washington Irving Medal for Literary Excellence (1993)
Pennsylvania Society Gold Medal Award (1994)
National Endowment for the Humanities Charles Frankel Prize (1995)
National Book Award for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters (1995)
Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Authors Award (1995)
National Commission of Libraries and Information Science Silver Award (1996)
Theodore Roosevelt Gold Medal (1996)
Commonwealth Award / Massachusetts Cultural Council (1999)
St. Andrews Society Medal / State of New York (2000)
Carl Sandburg Literary Award (2000)
History Makers Award in Arts & Letters (2000)
Palm Beach Laureate Award (2002)
The Holland Society Gold Medal for Distinguished Literacy Achievement (2002)
Dutch Treat Club Gold Medal for Lifetime Creative Achievement (2002)
Jefferson Award (2003)
Boston Patriot Award (2003)
American Journey Award / Boston Center for Adult Education (2003)
National Archives Records of Achievement Award (2004)
Hiett Prize/Dallas Institute of Humanities & Culture (2005)
Nashville Public Library Literacy Award (2005)
National Reading Advocacy Award (2005)
American Academy of Arts & Letters (2006)
Aspen Institute Public Service Award (2006)
Presidential Medal of Freedom (2006)
Samuel Eliot Morison Award (2007)
America and the Sea Award (2007)
Union League of NY Annual History Award (2007)
NYHS History Makers Award (2007)
National Institute of Social Sciences Gold Medal Award (2007)
The Christopher Award (2008)
Living Legend of the Library of Congress Award (2008)
Chicago Tribune Literary Achievement Prize (2008)
Janet Weis Fellow (Bucknell University) (2008)
Chautauqua Institution’s President’s Medal (2009)
The Salvatori Prize (2009)
National Arts Club Medal of Honor for Literature (2010)
John F. Kennedy Award, Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade (2011)
Johnstown Heritage Assoc. Outstanding Achievement Award (2011)
Vergennes Achievement Award, French-American Foundation (2011)
The Merrill Award, A.C.T.A. (2011)
The Lafayette Prize, French-American Cultural Foundation (2011)
American Ireland Fund Award (2011)
Vergennes Achievement Award, The French-American Foundation (2011)
The Lafayette Prize, French-American Cultural Foundation (2011)
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. Award, Society of American Historians (2012)
Gold Medal for Biography, American Academy of Arts & Letters (2012)
Founder’s Award for Exemplary Service to History, Historical Society of Penn. (2012)
Inaugural Honorary Fellow, Utah Valley University (2012)
New Englander of the Year Award, The New England Council (2012)
Honorary Yale Whiffenpoof (2012)
Charbonnier Award, Federation of Alliances Françaises (2012)
Common Wealth Award of Distinguished Service, Common Wealth Trust (2013)
Distinguished Bostonian Award, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (2013)
The Newberry Award, The Newberry Library (2013)
The David McCullough Bridge, City of Pittsburgh (2013)
The Cosmos Club Award (2013)
Reagan Distinguished American Award, Jonathan Club (2014)
American Ireland Fund Chairman’s Award (2014)
John F. Kennedy Medal, Massachusetts Historical Society (2014)
French Legion of Honor Award (2014)
Antiques Dealers’ Association Award of Merit (2015)
Charleston Library Society Founders Award (2015)
Empire State Archives and History Award (2015)
Phi Beta Kappa Society Distinguished Service to Humanities Award (2015)
SMU Tower Medal of Freedom Award (2015)
U.S. Capitol Historical Society Freedom Award (2016)
John Dolibois History Prize, The Lane Libraries (2016)
Saint-Gaudens Medal, Saint-Gaudens Memorial (2016)
National Park Service Honorary Ranger Award, Saint-Gaudens Nat. Historic Site (2016)
Spirit of the American Revolution Award, Museum of the American Revolution (2016)
Gold Good Citizenship Medal, Sons of the American Revolution (2017)
Ken Burns American Heritage Prize, American Prairie Reserve (2017)
American Spirit Award, National WWII Museum (2017)
Awards for Work in Historic Preservation
Robin W. Winks Award for Enhancing Public Understanding of National Parks (2003)
The Robert Smith Award / Christ Church (Philadelphia) Preservation Trust (2004)
Awards by Book
The Great Bridge
New York, Diamond Jubilee Award (1973)
Certificate of Merit Municipal Art Society, NY (1973)
The Path Between the Seas
National Book Award (1978)
Francis Parkman Prize/Society of American Historians (1978)
Samuel Eliot Morison Award (1978)
Cornelius Ryan Award (1978)
Civil Engineering History and Heritage Award (1978)
Mornings on Horseback
National Book Award in Biography (1982)
Los Angeles Times Prize for Biography (1981)
Truman
Lionel Gelber Prize (1992)
Pulitzer Prize winner (1993)
Harry S Truman Public Service Award (1993)
Harry S Truman Good Neighbor Award (1993)
Colonial Dames of America Award (1993)
17th Annual Lincoln Literary Award (1993)
Francis Parkman Prize/Society of American Historians (1993)
John Adams
Pulitzer Prize winner (2002)
New England Library and Information Network Award (2001)
Townsend Honoree/New England Society in the City of New York (2001)
American Revolution Round Table Book Award (2001)
Comm. of Mass. Board of Library Commissioners Certificate of Commendation (2001)
American Academy of Diplomacy Award (2001)
The Henry James Award/ Edith Wharton Women of Achievement Awards (2001)
Colonial Dames of America Award (2002)
The Los Angles Public Library Literary Award (2002)
Ambassador Book Award/English-Speaking Union of the Unites States (2002)
William Bradford Award/Pilgrim Society (2002)
Phi Beta Kappa Book Award (2002)
Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award (2002)
Christopher Award (2002)
Ruth Bogan Creative Living Award (2002)
1776
American Compass Best Book (2005)
Annual Book Award—The Colonial Dames of America (2005)
National Association of Independent Booksellers Award (2005)
Quill Award (2005)
The Greater Journey
Colonial Dames of America Book Award (2012)
The Wright Brothers
Ohioana Book Award
Combs Gates Award—National Aviation Hall of Fame
The American Spirit
The Christopher Award
Sign up for David McCullough author alerts
Author photograph © William B. McCullough