The Eugene V. Debs Award is an award accorded by the Eugene V. Debs Foundation, in Terre Haute, Indiana, each year since 1965 (apart from 1972 and 2020), honoring a person or organization whose work has been consistent with the spirit, values, and legacy of Eugene V. Debs and who has contributed to the advancement of the causes of industrial unionism, social justice, or world peace.

Recipients Year Recipient Field Description 1965 John L. Lewis Industrial Unionism Labor leader, served as president of the United Mine Workers of America from 1920 to 1960. 1966 Norman Thomas World Peace American Presbyterian minister who achieved fame as a socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. 1967 A. Philip Randolph Industrial Unionism, Social Justice Civil rights leader, labor leader, socialist political leader. 1968 Walter Reuther Industrial Unionism American labor union leader, who made the United Automobile Workers a major force not only in the auto industry but also in the Democratic Party and the Congress of Industrial Organizations in the mid-20th century. 1969 H.E. Gilbert Industrial Unionism President, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen 1970 Patrick E. Gorman Industrial Unionism President, Amalgamated Meat Cutters 1971 Dorothy Day Social Justice, World Peace American journalist, and social activist 1973 Michael Harrington Social Justice American democratic socialist, writer, and political activist 1974 Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. Social Justice American historian, social critic, and public intellectual 1975 Ruben Levin Industrial Unionism Founder, Labor Press Associates Manager and editor of LABOR magazine 1976 Martin H. Miller Industrial Unionism National Legislative Representative for the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen 1977 Frank Zeidler Social Justice American Socialist politician and Mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1978 Jesse Jackson Social Justice American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, and politician 1979 Pete Seeger Social Justice American folk singer and social activist 1980 William W. Winpisinger Industrial Unionism International President, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers 1981 Kurt Vonnegut Social Justice, World Peace American writer 1982 Coretta Scott King Social Justice American author, activist, civil rights leader, and the widow of Martin Luther King Jr. 1983 Studs Terkel Social Justice American author, historian, actor, and broadcaster 1984 William H. Wynn Industrial Unionism Founder/Organizer, United Food and Commercial Workers 1985 Jack Sheinkman Industrial Unionism President, Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union 1986 Joseph L. Rauh Jr. Social Justice Civil rights and civil liberties attorney 1987 Ed Asner Social Justice, Industrial Unionism Actor, activist, president, Screen Actors Guild 1988 Joyce D. Miller Social Justice, Industrial Unionism Labor activist, feminist, founding member of the Coalition of Labor Union Women 1989 Morton Bahr Industrial Unionism President, Communications Workers of America 1990 Lynn R. Williams Industrial Unionism Canadian labour leader; President, United Steelworkers 1991 John Sayles Social Justice American independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor and novelist 1992 Ralph Nader Social Justice American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney 1993 Dolores Huerta Industrial Unionism, Social Justice American labor leader and civil rights activist; Co-founder, National Farmworkers Association 1994 Richard Trumka Industrial Unionism Organized labor leader; President, United Mine Workers 1995 Jim Hightower Social Justice American syndicated columnist, progressive political activist, and author 1996 Victor Saul Navasky Social Justice American journalist, editor and academic 1997 John Sweeney Industrial Unionism Labor leader; President, AFL–CIO 1998 Howard Zinn Social Justice, World Peace American historian, playwright, and social activist 1999 Gloria Tapscott Johnson Social Justice, Industrial Unionism American unionist, labor feminist 2000 Michael Sullivan Industrial Unionism President, Sheet Metal Workers' International Association 2001 Al Chesser Industrial Unionism National Legislative Director, United Transportation Union 2002 Julian Bond Social Justice Social activist, civil rights leader, politician, professor and writer 2003 Molly Ivins Social Justice American newspaper columnist, author, political commentator, and humorist 2004 Bruce S. Raynor Industrial Unionism Unionist; President, Workers United; General President of UNITE HERE 2005 Thomas Frank Social Justice American political analyst, historian, journalist, and columnist 2006 Brave New Films Social Justice Media/news/documentary company 2007 Barbara Ehrenreich Social Justice American author and political activist 2008 Cecil Roberts Industrial Unionism President, United Mine Workers of America 2009 Ron Gettelfinger Industrial Unionism President, United Auto Workers 2010 Bobby Duvall Social Justice Human rights advocate 2011 Danny Glover Social Justice Actor, civil rights activist, political activist 2012 Clayola Brown Industrial Unionism, Social Justice Union leader, civil rights activist 2013 Eliseo Medina Industrial Unionism, Social Justice Mexican-American labor union activist 2014 Sara Horowitz Industrial Unionism Founder, Freelancers Union 2015 Jim Boland Industrial Unionism President, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers 2016 Cindy Sheehan World Peace, Social Justice Peace activist, political activist 2017 Jobs With Justice Industrial Unionism, Social Justice Labor equality organization 2018 William "Bill" Lucy Industrial Unionism, Social Justice Union leader, Civil rights activist2019Mary Kay Henry on behalf of the SEIULabor and civil rights activist2021Innocence ProjectSocial JusticeLegal advocacy organization2022A. Philip Randolph InstituteIndustrial Unionism, Social JusticeAfrican-American trade unionists organization2023Lynne FoxIndustrial UnionismPresident, Workers United2024Sara NelsonIndustrial UnionismPresident, Association of Flight Attendants2025Bernie SandersIndustrial UnionismSenator, US Congress

See also List of awards for contributions to society List of peace prizes

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