October 26, 2006

MEDIA CONTACT: Steven Moore
(202) 994-6467; sdmoore@gwu.edu

THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY TO HONOR GW PROFESSOR
JAMES OLIVER HORTON WITH PRESIDENT'S MEDAL
OCT. 26

Benjamin Bannaker Professor of American Studies and History and Noted African-American History Scholar to Receive Highest Honor Conferred by President of the University

      WASHINGTON - The George Washington University's Benjamin Banneker Professor of American Studies and History James Oliver Horton will be presented with the President's Medal at a ceremony hosted by GW President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg on Thursday, Oct. 26.

      "Professor Horton's seminal efforts in African-American studies have enlightened audiences globally, while placing GW in the forefront of scholarship in a critical area," said Trachtenberg.  "He has, in fact, created the foundation for future generations to build upon and while his students and colleagues at GW are the direct beneficiaries of his work, he has helped everyone who has ever heard him speak, read his books or watched the documentaries he has helped create, better understand the horrors of slavery and the courage displayed by those whose fight for freedom knew no bounds. It is with great pride and admiration that we honor my dear friend and colleague Jim Horton."
 
      Horton's recognition for teaching excellence includes the Oscar and Shoshana Trachtenberg Teaching Award for GW in 1994 and the Carnegie Foundation CASE Professor of the Year Award for the District of Columbia in 1996.  In 2005, the Afro-American Museum of Boston presented Horton with its "Living Legend Award," and he received an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Wagner College.  He served as Senior Fulbright Professor of American Studies at the University of Munich, Germany, and Fulbright Distinguished John Adams Chair in American Studies at the University of Leiden, Netherlands.  In April 2006, Horton was named a fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

     "I am deeply honored to have been chosen to receive the President's Medal," said Horton.  "It is especially satisfying to be recognized for my scholarship, my teaching, and my work as a public historian, the three things I love most and find most satisfying. During the almost 30 years that I have been a part of the GW faculty I have greatly appreciated the support and encouragement I have received from the University community.  I feel so fortunate to be here at GW, a place that facilitates the kind of scholarship and teaching, both inside and outside the classroom, that I have found so rewarding."  

      Horton's contribution to history scholarship, where his focus is slavery and African-American history, extends far beyond the classroom.  He has written 10 books, most recently The Landmarks of African American History in 2005, and he has been a historical consultant to many video and film productions seen on ABC, PBS, the Discovery Channel, and the History Channel.  Horton was the historical advisor to the Emmy Award-winning History Channel Series "Ten Days That Unexpectedly Changed America," and he hosted the series "A Fragile Freedom: African American Historic Sites," a History Channel production based on Horton's scholarship.  He is Historian Emeritus of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History and has held several presidential appointments including service on the White House Millennium Council and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission appointed by President Bill Clinton in 2000.

      Established in 1988, The George Washington University's President's Medal is the highest honor conferred by the President of the University, recognizing the distinctive achievements of each recipient.  Past recipients include Mikhail Gorbachev, Walter Cronkite, Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Laureate Shimon Peres, and United States Senators William Frist and Joseph Lieberman.
 
      Located four blocks from the White House, The George Washington University was created by an Act of Congress in 1821. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the nation's capital. The University offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business, and international affairs. Each year, GW enrolls a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 120 countries.

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