The First Amendment Award was created in 1981 by the children, nieces, and nephews of Louis P. and Evelyn Smith, to honor those individuals and organizations that demonstrate extraordinary commitment to promoting and facilitating the thoughtful exercise of our right to freedom of expression

 First Amendment Award Recipients include:

2019 — Marty Baron

2013 – Barney Frank

2012 – James Downey

2011 – Anthony Lewis

2010 – F.I.R.E. (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education)

2009 – Gwen Ifill

2008 – Anita F. Hill

2006 – Cokie Roberts, Nina Totenberg, Linda Wertheimer

1999 – Marvin Kalb

1998 – John Lewis

1997 – Terry Gross

1994 – Ted Turner

1992 – David S. Nelson

1991 – Rosa Parks

1990 – Fang Lizhi

1989 – American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

1988 – Pete Seeger

1987 – Nicholas Daniloff

1986 – Daniel Schorr

1985 – Thomas Winship

1984 – Paul Tsongas

1982 – Maya Angelou

1981 – Norman Lear