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 Source: Beatrice Aitchison Ruth E. Bacon Nina Kinsella (Warden of the Federal Reformatory for Women, Alderson, WV) Charlotte Moore Sitterly Aryness Joy Wickens Rosalyn Sussman Yalow

1962 Source: Katherine W. Bracken (Director of the Office of Central American and Panamanian Affairs, Department of State) Margaret H. Brass (attorney, Department of Justice) Thelma Brumfield Dunn Evelyn Harrison (Civil Service Commission) Allene Jeanes Nancy Roman

1963 Source: Eleanor L. Makel Bessie Margolin Katharine Kniskern Mather Verna C. Mohagen (1908-1980; Personnel Management Division, Department of Agriculture) Blanche W. Noyes Eleanor C. Pressly

1964 Source: Evelyn Anderson Gertrude Blanch Selene Gifford Elizabeth F. Messer (Civil Service Commission) Margaret Wolman Schwartz (specialist in economic warfare, Treasury Department) Patricia G. van Delden

1965 Sources: Ann Z. Caracristi Elizabeth B. Drewry Dorothy M. Gilford Carol Laise Sarah Elizabeth Stewart Penelope Hartland-Thunberg

1966 Source: Fannie N. Boyls (1906-2002; National Labor Relations Board) Stella E. Davis (Desk officer, East and South Africa, USIA) Jocelyn Gill Ida Craven Merriam Irene Parsons (Personnel, Veterans Administration) Ruth G. Van Cleve (director, Office of the Territories, Department of Interior) Also nominated: Julia Brown Wright (US Naval Propellant Plant)

1967

Elizabeth Ann Brown Barbara Moulton Anne Mason Roberts Kathryn Grove Shipp Wilma Victor Marjorie J. Williams

1968 Sources: Ruth R. Benerito Mabel Kunce Gibby (1926-2015; vocational rehab, psychologist) Frances M. James (Council of Economic Advisors) Ruby Grant Martin Lucille Farrier Stickel Rogene L. Thompson (Federal Aviation Administration) Nina Bencich Woodside Also nominated: Eileen R. Donovan, Charlotte M. Hubbard, and Susan T. Tait

1969 Source: Mary Hughes Budenbach Edith N. Cook (Associate Solicitor, Division of Legislation, Department of Labor) Eileen R. Donovan Jo Ann Smith Kinney (Navy, Submarine Medical Research Lab) Esther Christian Lawton Dorothy L. Starbuck

1970 Source: Jean Apgar Margaret Pittman Naomi Rosen Sweeney (Office of Management and Budget) Sarah B. Glindmeyer (chief of the Bureau of Nursing, D. C. Dept. of Public Health) Valerija B. Raulinaitis Margaret Joy Tibbetts Also nominated: Marilyn Levy

1971 Source: Jeanne Wilson Davis (National Security Council) Florence Johnson Hicks (Public Health, Washington DC) Juanita Morris Moody Essie Davis Morgan Rita Rapp Joan R. Rosenblatt Also nominated: Frances L. Whedon, Miriam H. Thomas, Joyce L. House, Joyce I. Allen, Vilma B. Harper, Cleo S. Cason

1972

Lois Albro Chatham Phyllis Dixon Clemmons Ruth M. Davis Mary Harrover Ferguson (d. 1999; Office of Naval Research) Ruth M. Leverton Patricia Ann McCreedy

1973 Source: Bernice L. Bernstein (HEW) Marguerite S. Chang Janet Hart (Federal Reserve) Marilyn E. Jacox Isabel L. Karle Marjorie R. Townsend

1974

Henriette D. Avram Edna A. Boorady Roselyn Payne Epps Brigid Gray Leventhal Gladys P. Rogers (Department of State) Madge Skelly

1975

Beatrice Dvorak (Department of Labor) Evans Hayward Wilda Martinez (Department of Agriculture) Marie U. Nylen Also nominated: Theresa V. Brassard

1976 Source: I. Blanche Bourne (Public Health, Government of the District of Columbia) Carin Ann Clauss Dorothy I. Fennell (Department of Agriculture) Marion J. Finkel (FDA) Mary Patricia Murray (VA, kinesiologist) Joyce J. Walker (OMB)

1977 Nominated: Lola McFerson

References