Laws Award

WILLIAM R. LAWS HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD

The Human Rights Commission accepts nominations from the public for the William R. Laws Human Rights Award at the beginning of the year. The recipient will be a member, a group of members from the community, or a community organization who have made a substantial contribution to the community of Columbus in any area(s) of human equality. The most recent award was presented to Sherry Stark. Other Laws Award recipients include Larry Perkinson, Dr. Marwan Wafa, Ala’a Wafa, Arlette Cooper Tinsley, Lorraine Smith, Gil Palmer, Tom Harmon, Owen Hungerford, Bob Pitman, Tracy Souza, the Heritage Fund’s Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, Tim Solso and Joe Loughrey, Sondra Bolte, Benjamin “Mickey” King, and J. Irwin Miller.

History:

The William R. Laws Human Rights Award began in the early 1980s as the Human Rights Award. In 1986, William R. Laws received several nominations for his human rights achievements. After 1986, the Human Rights Award became known as the William R. Laws Human Rights Award.

Nomination Criteria:

The nominees for the Award should have made a significant contribution by doing one or more of the following:

(1) improving relationships among all people;

(2) increasing the sensitivity of one group toward another group;

(3) educating people about the barriers or eliminating the barriers facing people of color, women, persons with disabilities, religious minorities, or others who have been treated unequally because of prejudice; and

(4) using existing means or creating new safeguards to protect the rights of others.

Laws Awards Nominations:

For information, call the Human Rights Commission at 812-376-2532 or via email at humanrights@columbus.in.gov.

Previous Winners:

1985 J. Irwin Miller (first winner)

1986 Madelynn Smith

1987 Rev. Chas. Sims & Rev. Duff Green

1988 Larry Whaley

1989 Rev. John Bean

1990 Ted Marston

1991 C. William Barton

1992 Richard B. Stoner

1993 No award given this year

1994 Gwen Wiggins, Mayor Stewart Police Chief Charlie Imel & Joseph High

1995 Barbara Stewart

1996 Larry Snyder & Barbara Wrighthouse

1997 Audrey Jefferson

1998 Lee Hamilton

1999 Jim Henderson

2000 Benjamin “Mickey” King

2001 Juana O. Watson

2002 Carolyn Lickerman

2003 No award given this year

2004 Mayor Fred Armstrong

2005 Sarah (Kramer) Grey

2006 Eugene Maresca

2007 Laura Hurt

2008 Sondra Bolte

2009 Tim Solso & Joe Loughrey

2010 Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County

2011 Tracy Souza

2012 Bob Pitman

2013 Owen Hungerford

2014 Tom Harmon

2015 Gil Palmer, Lorraine Smith, Arlette Cooper Tinsley

2016 Dr. Marwan Wafa and Ala’a Wafa

2017 Larry Perkinson

2018 Sherry Stark