MOORHEAD — A Concordia College graduate and a former chair of the school's Board of Regents was awarded the National Humanities Medal in a White House ceremony.
Earl Lewis, a professor at the University of Michigan and founding director of the Center for Social Solutions, was presented with the award by President Joe Biden on Tuesday, March 21.
A native of Tidewater, Virgnia, Lewis earned bachelor's degrees in history and psychology from Concordia College and his doctorate in history from the University of Minnesota.
Lewis, along with Fay Ferguson, established Concordia's Diversity Student Endowed Scholarship, which is awarded based on scholastic achievement and financial need.
Lewis is a professor of history and Afro-American and African studies. He is also the author of several books, and was previously president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
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"For writing America's history and shaping America's future, as a social historian and academic leader, Earl Lewis has made vital contributions to the field of Black history, educating generations of students while also being a leading voice for greater diversity in academia and our nation," Biden said during the ceremony.
Since 1996, a total of 206 National Humanities Medals have been given to 190 individuals and 16 organizations.
The National Humanities Medal honors an individual or organization whose work has deepened the nation's understanding of the human experience, and broadened engagement with history or literature, or expanded America's access to cultural resources.
Amy Tan, author of "The Joy Luck Club," poet and author Richard Blanco and author Walter Isaacson were among this year's recipients.
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