The Herblock Prize for

editorial cartooning An editorial cartoonist, also known as a political cartoonist, is an artist who draws editorial cartoons that contain some level of political or social commentary. Their cartoons are used to convey and question an aspect of daily news or curren ...

is an annual $15,000 after-tax cash prize, and a sterling silver Tiffany trophy."Herblock Prize & Lecture,"
Herblock Foundation website. Accessed Sept. 7, 2015. Designed "to encourage editorial cartooning as an essential tool for preserving the rights of the American people through freedom of speech and the right of expression," it is named for the editorial cartoonist Herblock and sponsored by The Herb Block Foundation. The rotating three-judge panel that determines the award-winner is typically composed of the previous year's winner, another editorial cartoonist, and a scholar of editorial cartooning. The award is typically presented some time between March and May of each year, at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The libra ...

. Each award presentation is accompanied by a guest lecturer who discusses contemporary social issues "in the spirit of Herblock." Previous Herblock Prize guest lecturers include Ben Bradlee, President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

, Sandra Day O’Connor, Tom Brokaw, Tim Russert, Ted Koppel,

George Stevens, Jr. George Cooper Stevens Jr. (born April 3, 1932) is an American writer, playwright, director, and producer. He is the founder of the American Film Institute, creator of the AFI Life Achievement Award, and co-creator of the Kennedy Center Honors. H ...

, Jim Lehrer,

Garry Trudeau Garretson Beekman Trudeau (born July 21, 1948) is an American cartoonist, best known for creating the ''Doonesbury'' comic strip. Trudeau is also the creator and executive producer of the Amazon Studios political comedy series '' Alpha House' ...

Gwen Ifill Gwendolyn L. Ifill ( ; September 29, 1955 – November 14, 2016) was an American journalist, television newscaster, and author. In 1999, she became the first African-American woman to host a nationally televised U.S. public affairs program ...

, and Bob Woodward. Finalists for the award have been named since 2011; they receive a $5,000 after-tax prize.

History

When

Herb Block Herbert Lawrence Block, commonly known as Herblock (October13, 1909October7, 2001), was an American editorial cartoonist and author best known for his commentaries on national domestic and foreign policy. During the course of a career stretchi ...

died in October 2001, he left $50 million with instructions to create a foundation to support charitable and educational programs that help promote and sustain the causes he championed during his 72 years of cartooning. The Herb Block Foundation is committed to defending the basic freedoms guaranteed all Americans, combating all forms of discrimination and prejudice, and improving the conditions of the poor and underprivileged through the creation or support of charitable and educational programs with the same goals. The Foundation is also committed to improving educational opportunities to deserving students through post-secondary education scholarships and to promoting editorial cartooning through continuing research. The Herb Block Foundation awarded its first grants and the annual Herblock Prize in editorial cartooning in 2004. In 2011,

Ann Telnaes Ann Carolyn Telnaes (born 1960) is an American editorial cartoonist. She creates editorial cartoons in various media—animation, visual essays, live sketches, and traditional print—for the Washington Post. She also contributes to The ...

became the first female Herblock Prize finalist. In 2012,

Matt Bors Matt Bors (born 1983) is a nationally syndicated American editorial cartoonist and editor of online comics publication The Nib. Formerly the comics journalism editor for Cartoon Movement, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2012 and 20 ...

became the first alternative-weekly cartoonist to win the Herblock Prize. in 2014, Jen Sorensen became the first female Herblock Prize award-winner."Jen Sorensen, 2014 Herblock Prize Winner!"
Herb Block Foundation press release (March 4, 2014).

Award recipients

Award finalists

References

External links

* {{Official, http://www.herbblockfoundation.org/herblock-prize American journalism awards Awards established in 2004 Editorial cartooning awards 2004 establishments in the United States Annual events in the United States