FISHERS, IN -
Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, Indiana's only Smithsonian affiliate, has announced the 2009 Spirit of the Prairie Award recipients.
Following past tradition of honoring distinguished individuals with Indiana ties, Hoosier Heritage honorees include international opera star Angela Brown; Emmy-nominated journalist Janet Langhart Cohen; preservationist and philanthropist Richard E. Ford; and U.S. Senator Richard G. Lugar. For the first time, Conner Prairie is honoring a national trailblazer who is celebrated for engaging people with history. The inaugural History Innovator Award will go to the founder of the American Girl Company Pleasant Rowland.
"We are extremely pleased to present Conner Prairie's highest honor to this year's American trailblazers," said Ellen M. Rosenthal, president and CEO of Conner Prairie. "This year's honorees' life-long successes demonstrate achievement, courage, innovation and vision, and we are proud to honor their excellence here at Conner Prairie."
The 2009 Spirit of the Prairie award recipients will be recognized at the seventh annual Spirit of the Prairie cocktail reception and dinner--Celebrating America's Trailblazers, Sept. 12, 2009, at 5:45 p.m. The awards reception is Conner Prairie's opportunity to acknowledge those who have created a distinctly American story. The honorees exemplify the spirit of endeavor that created the rich and ever-changing tapestry of the United States.
"As one of Indiana's premier educational and cultural institutions, we are thrilled to take a moment to celebrate and honor trailblazers who align with our mission here at Conner Prairie," said Rosenthal. "The Spirit of the Prairie Award Dinner is an excellent opportunity to honor these recipients and to build support for Conner Prairie's educational mission."
Spirit of the Prairie reservations are being accepted now and can be made online at www.connerprairie.org/spirit.aspx or by calling 317.776.6000. Tickets start at $150 and tables of 10 are available. Proceeds from this event support Conner Prairie's mission to inspire curiosity and foster learning about Indiana's past by providing engaging, individualized and unique experiences.
Angela Brown International Opera Soprano
Indianapolis native Angela Brown personifies the ideal American dramatic soprano: sheer vocal power, luxurious finesse, shimmering high pianissimos and a personality larger than life. Brown is a trailblazer on a mission to bring operatic and classical vocal performance to a diverse audience. She was a 1997 National Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions Winner and is in great demand at opera houses throughout the United States, Europe and South Africa. Brown frequently performs in recitals and as a soloist with the world's leading orchestras.
Janet Langhart Cohen Journalist, Author & Playwright
Janet Langhart Cohen, president and CEO of Langhart Communications LLC, is an Emmy-nominated journalist. During her 25-year career, Cohen, a native Hoosier, has appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC and BET. She played an active role in initiatives aimed at the morale and well-being of the Defense Department's military and civilian employees during the tenure of her husband, William S. Cohen, as secretary of defense. Cohen is involved in programs to provide higher education for underprivileged children and has just written "Anne & Emmett", a one-act play of a conversation between Nazi child victim Anne Frank and child victim Emmett Till of Jim Crow America.
Richard E. Ford Preservationist & Philanthropist
Richard E. Ford, a Wabash native, graduated from Indiana University and joined The Ford Meter Box Company, the business his grandfather Edwin Ford founded. His work with the Environmental Protection Agency as a liaison officer for historic preservation drew him to volunteerism, and his legacy extends throughout the state of Indiana and beyond. He assisted with the new location of the Wabash County Historical Museum, which showcases Wabash's distinction as the world's first electrically-lighted city, and renovated the Dr. James Ford Historic Home, which belonged to his great-grandfather. He is a benefactor of Ford-Crawford Hall, an auditorium at IU Jacobs School of Music. Ford is past chairman of the National Trust for the Historic Preservation Council and serves on the boards of the American Museum in Britain, Hoosier Salon and the Indiana Historical Society. He has also been honored with two Sagamores of the Wabash.
The Honorable Richard G. Lugar U.S. Senator
Richard G. Lugar is the most senior Republican in the U.S. Senate and the longest-serving U.S. Senator in Indiana history. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976, he is the Republican leader of the Foreign Relations Committee and a member and former chairman of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. Prior to his election to the Senate, Lugar was a two-term mayor of Indianapolis, where he led the effort of unifying the city and the surrounding Marion County into one government. Unigov, as Mayor Lugar's plan was called, set the city on a path of uninterrupted economic growth.
Pleasant Rowland Founder of American Girl Company & Philanthropist
Pleasant Rowland is a noted educator and business leader. Her lifelong interest in teaching children to read led to her creating reading and language arts programs used widely in schools throughout the country. In 1985, she combined her love of American history and her commitment to high-quality educational products to create The American Girls Collection®, a line of historically accurate books, dolls and accessories, lauded for its ability to make American history come alive. Rowland now focuses her energies on philanthropic interests in arts, education and historic preservation.
Following past tradition of honoring distinguished individuals with Indiana ties, Hoosier Heritage honorees include international opera star Angela Brown; Emmy-nominated journalist Janet Langhart Cohen; preservationist and philanthropist Richard E. Ford; and U.S. Senator Richard G. Lugar. For the first time, Conner Prairie is honoring a national trailblazer who is celebrated for engaging people with history. The inaugural History Innovator Award will go to the founder of the American Girl Company Pleasant Rowland.
"We are extremely pleased to present Conner Prairie's highest honor to this year's American trailblazers," said Ellen M. Rosenthal, president and CEO of Conner Prairie. "This year's honorees' life-long successes demonstrate achievement, courage, innovation and vision, and we are proud to honor their excellence here at Conner Prairie."
The 2009 Spirit of the Prairie award recipients will be recognized at the seventh annual Spirit of the Prairie cocktail reception and dinner--Celebrating America's Trailblazers, Sept. 12, 2009, at 5:45 p.m. The awards reception is Conner Prairie's opportunity to acknowledge those who have created a distinctly American story. The honorees exemplify the spirit of endeavor that created the rich and ever-changing tapestry of the United States.
"As one of Indiana's premier educational and cultural institutions, we are thrilled to take a moment to celebrate and honor trailblazers who align with our mission here at Conner Prairie," said Rosenthal. "The Spirit of the Prairie Award Dinner is an excellent opportunity to honor these recipients and to build support for Conner Prairie's educational mission."
Spirit of the Prairie reservations are being accepted now and can be made online at www.connerprairie.org/spirit.aspx or by calling 317.776.6000. Tickets start at $150 and tables of 10 are available. Proceeds from this event support Conner Prairie's mission to inspire curiosity and foster learning about Indiana's past by providing engaging, individualized and unique experiences.
Angela Brown International Opera Soprano
Indianapolis native Angela Brown personifies the ideal American dramatic soprano: sheer vocal power, luxurious finesse, shimmering high pianissimos and a personality larger than life. Brown is a trailblazer on a mission to bring operatic and classical vocal performance to a diverse audience. She was a 1997 National Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions Winner and is in great demand at opera houses throughout the United States, Europe and South Africa. Brown frequently performs in recitals and as a soloist with the world's leading orchestras.
Janet Langhart Cohen Journalist, Author & Playwright
Janet Langhart Cohen, president and CEO of Langhart Communications LLC, is an Emmy-nominated journalist. During her 25-year career, Cohen, a native Hoosier, has appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC and BET. She played an active role in initiatives aimed at the morale and well-being of the Defense Department's military and civilian employees during the tenure of her husband, William S. Cohen, as secretary of defense. Cohen is involved in programs to provide higher education for underprivileged children and has just written "Anne & Emmett", a one-act play of a conversation between Nazi child victim Anne Frank and child victim Emmett Till of Jim Crow America.
Richard E. Ford Preservationist & Philanthropist
Richard E. Ford, a Wabash native, graduated from Indiana University and joined The Ford Meter Box Company, the business his grandfather Edwin Ford founded. His work with the Environmental Protection Agency as a liaison officer for historic preservation drew him to volunteerism, and his legacy extends throughout the state of Indiana and beyond. He assisted with the new location of the Wabash County Historical Museum, which showcases Wabash's distinction as the world's first electrically-lighted city, and renovated the Dr. James Ford Historic Home, which belonged to his great-grandfather. He is a benefactor of Ford-Crawford Hall, an auditorium at IU Jacobs School of Music. Ford is past chairman of the National Trust for the Historic Preservation Council and serves on the boards of the American Museum in Britain, Hoosier Salon and the Indiana Historical Society. He has also been honored with two Sagamores of the Wabash.
The Honorable Richard G. Lugar U.S. Senator
Richard G. Lugar is the most senior Republican in the U.S. Senate and the longest-serving U.S. Senator in Indiana history. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976, he is the Republican leader of the Foreign Relations Committee and a member and former chairman of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. Prior to his election to the Senate, Lugar was a two-term mayor of Indianapolis, where he led the effort of unifying the city and the surrounding Marion County into one government. Unigov, as Mayor Lugar's plan was called, set the city on a path of uninterrupted economic growth.
Pleasant Rowland Founder of American Girl Company & Philanthropist
Pleasant Rowland is a noted educator and business leader. Her lifelong interest in teaching children to read led to her creating reading and language arts programs used widely in schools throughout the country. In 1985, she combined her love of American history and her commitment to high-quality educational products to create The American Girls Collection®, a line of historically accurate books, dolls and accessories, lauded for its ability to make American history come alive. Rowland now focuses her energies on philanthropic interests in arts, education and historic preservation.
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