The Democratic National Committee (DNC) Lawrence O'Brien Award was created in 1992 by the family of Lawrence Francis "Larry" O'Brien Jr. (1917–1990) and Democratic Party leaders to recognize the many years of service he gave to the party and his belief in the contribution of party volunteers. Since then, party leaders presented this award on five occasions to 94 winners from across the United States.

The award honors the importance of this contribution to the continuing success and vitality of the party. It's given to individuals and groups who exhibit a high degree of commitment and self-sacrifice on behalf of the party and its candidates.

The award was expanded in 1998 to help mark the 150th anniversary of the DNC. Party leaders honored an individual or group from every commonwealth, district, state and territory and six individuals nationally. Through the generosity of the O'Brien family, award winners also received financial grants.

A news report which was published in 2000 by Insight magazine described a 1998 controversy about e-mail messages which were written between the Clinton administration staff members and 1996 presidential reelection campaign staffers about political fundraising by administration staffers. Some of the messages were written in 1996 and solicited the award for a campaign contributor.

Selection

Award winners are selected from among many nominations received from party leaders, appointed and elected public officials, and other Democrats in the United States. Each winner worked at the local-, state- or national-party levels, including assisting candidates for elected public office. Furthermore, the winners made personal, family or financial sacrifices, or otherwise showed unusual or extraordinary dedication to the furtherance of the goals of the party, without financial remuneration or professional gain.

Winners Miguel A. Hernández Agosto, Territory of Puerto Rico, 1998 Pongsun Choi "Sunny" Allen, State of Ohio, 1995 Patsy B. Arceneaux, State of Louisiana, 1998 Pat Banditch, State of Colorado, 1998 Rachel "Rae" Barone, State of New York, 1998 Bettina Basanow, State of Colorado, 1993 John Beemer, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1998 Mitchell Berger, State of Florida, 1994 Milton Bronstein, State of Rhode Island, 1998 Raymond Buckley, State of New Hampshire, 1998 Lucy Madden Buntain, State of Nebraska, 1998 Virginia H. Cain, State of Nevada, 1998 Sara Caldwell, State of Tennessee, 1994 Ellen Callanan, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1998 Billie Carr, State of Texas, 1998 Bethine Church, State of Idaho, 1998 College Democrats of America, District of Columbia, 1993 Laura Comini, State of Oregon, 1998 Carolyn H. Covington, State of Alaska, 1998 Joseph F. Crangle, State of New York, 1992 Al Davidson, Democrats Abroad, 1998 Felisa Rincón de Gautier, Territory of Puerto Rico, 1992 Harold Demarest Jr., State of Oregon, 1995 Nancy Dick, State of Florida, 1998 Abbi Easter, Commonwealth of Virginia, 1998 Ed Fibiger, State of North Dakota, 1998 Irene Findlater, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1993 C. Pat Frank, State of Oklahoma, 1998 Anita Freedman, State of New Hampshire, 1994 Lutu Tenari Fuimaono, Territory of American Samoa, 1998 James "Jim" Gallagher, State of Oklahoma, 1998 George Gaukler, State of North Dakota, 1995 Eugenia Gil, State of Connecticut, 1998 Diane Glasser, State of Florida, 1994 Kevin Gover, State of New Mexico, 1993 Susan Gwinn, State of Ohio, 1998 Laurence Hansen, State of Minnesota, 1995 Marsha Harbaugh, State of Wyoming, 1998 Nettie Harrelson, State of New Mexico, 1995 William "Bill" Hegarty, State of Arizona, 1998 Rosa Holliday, State of Michigan, 1998 Billie Houck, State of Iowa, 1998 Anthony Hyde, Democrats Abroad, 1998 Kathy Jamison, State of Delaware, 1998 Harold Jinks, State of Arkansas, 1992 Alan Karcher, State of New Jersey, 1998 Richard Kennedy, State of New Mexico, 1998 Donna Kilpatrick, State of Montana, 1998 Peg Kirkpatrick, State of Hawaii, 1998 John Kukulka, State of Connecticut, 1994 Pauline Locklear, State of North Carolina, 1998 Sarah Lodge, State of Arkansas, 1998 Lewis Manilow, State of Illinois, 1998 Louis Martin, State of California, 1992 Joan Mathews, State of Georgia, 1992 Tony Mathews, State of Georgia, 1992 Johnoween S. Mathis, State of Texas, 1992 Charles H.A. McAlpin, Territory of U.S. Virgin Islands, 1998 Ethel McBrayer, Commonwealth of Kentucky, 1998 Jim McConaha, State of New Hampshire, 1998 Gertrude McConahay, State of Indiana, 1998 Eunice Mixon, State of Georgia, 1998 Bennie Moore, State of Florida, 1995 Fran Moyer, State of Washington, 1998 Anne Murphy, State of Colorado, 1995 David Nelson, State of Utah, 1998 Madge Overhouse, State of California, 1994 Frances Parrilla, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1998 James J. Pasma, State of Montana, 1992 Carol Pensky, State of Maryland, 1994 Betsy Rader, State of South Carolina, 1998 Philip J. Rock, State of Illinois, 1992 Emma D. Sanders, State of Mississippi, 1998 Margaret Schelen, State of California, 1993 Karen Schuler, State of Maine, 1998 Gene Sisneros, State of New Mexico, 1998 Edward Smith, State of Illinois, 1995 Mark E. Sostarich, State of Wisconsin, 1998 Mariquita "Tita" Torres Souder, Territory of Guam, 1998 Alta Stephens, State of Missouri, 1998 Saul Stern, State of Maryland, 1995 Elbert "Willie" Suggs, District of Columbia, 1998 Lucille Thu, State of South Dakota, 1998 Beatrice Tignor, State of Maryland, 1998 Maida Townsend, State of Vermont, 1998 Bea Underwood, State of Minnesota, 1998 Beulah Vernon, State of Oklahoma, 1993 Pam Wallace, State of Alabama, 1998 Margaret B. Walsh, State of West Virginia, 1992 West Virginia Federation of Democratic Women, State of West Virginia, 1998 Tom Whipple, Commonwealth of Virginia, 1998 Karen Wingard, State of California, 1998 Esther Wright, State of Tennessee, 1998 Irene G. Younkman, State of Kansas, 1998

References

External links

Democratic National Committee