Federal Woman's Award


The Federal Woman's Award, also known as the Federal Women's Award, was given by the United States Civil Service Commission from 1961 until 1976.
The Federal Woman's Award was established by Barbara Bates Gunderson in 1960, while she was serving on the Civil Service Commission. Her goal was to publicize the ways women were excelling in federal employment, and to encourage young women to consider careers with federal laboratories and agencies. Gunderson was also the first chair of the award's board. Katie Louchheim, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, and later Patricia Hitt, Assistant Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, issued press releases about the awards and appeared at the presentation events.
Nominations were submitted annually by federal departments and agencies to the board of trustees for the Federal Woman's Award. The nominations were judged by a panel of "persons prominent in public life", including magazine editors, broadcasters, journalists, business executives, and college presidents. Among the judges were Milton S. Eisenhower, Carl Rowan, Doris Fleeson, Arthur Sherwood Flemming, Sol Linowitz, David Brinkley, Betty Furness, and Katharine E. McBride.
About six recipients were selected each year, for their "outstanding achievement and ability in an executive, professional, scientific, or technical position in the federal service." Award winners were invited to a ceremony in the Oval Office. The president posed for official photographs with the group, and made remarks for the occasion.
The awards were discontinued after the 1976 presentations, though there were nominations for 1977. "Although the prize had served its purpose at no cost to the government, its continuation in the era of equal opportunity as a separate compensatory award for women only, which had seemed so harmless and even chivalric before, began to raise concerns and embarrassment," noted historian of science Margaret Rossiter. In 1978, Rosalyn Yalow, one of the award's first recipients, recalled that "I viewed this award as second-class", adding "I was therefore delighted to learn last year that the Federal Woman's Award was to be discontinued — I hope permanently."

Awardees by year

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

Also nominated: Julia Brown Wright

1967

1968

Also nominated: Eileen R. Donovan, Charlotte M. Hubbard, and Susan T. Tait

1969

1970

Also nominated: Marilyn Levy

1971

Also nominated: Frances L. Whedon, Miriam H. Thomas, Joyce L. House, Joyce I. Allen, Vilma B. Harper, Cleo S. Cason

1972

1973

1974

1975

Also nominated: Theresa V. Brassard

1976

1977

Nominated: Lola McFerson