The Katherine Drake Hart Award
Community award presented by the AHCA recognizing a deserving citizen of Travis County who made the most impact on our history from a singular achievement or their collective work over time.
Two honored with Katherine Drake Hart Award
In ceremonies Friday, October 2, 2020 on the steps of the Austin History Center, AHCA President and former Austin Mayor Lee Cooke presented the prestigious Katherine Drake Hart award for 2019 to Dr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, founder and director of the Voces Oral History Center at the University of Texas.
Also receiving the award was Michael Barnes, longtime Austin American-Statesman writer and author of several books on Austin history. Barnes had been selected for the award in 2007, just as major administrative changes were being made in the association, and he had not been presented the award.
Dr. Rivas-Rodriguez was recognized by the AHCA award committee for her extraordinary leadership and contributions to the study of Latina/Latino history. Under her guidance, the Voces Oral History Center has videotaped interviews with over 960 men and women throughout the country.
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Michael Barnes has written for the Austin American-Statesman since 1989, where he has been named top specialty reporter by Headliners of Texas. He has served on the Pulitzer Prize jury for criticism twice and served three terms as chairman of the American Theatre Critics Association.
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The award is named for the late Katherine Drake Hart. She was a graduate of Wellesley College and Columbia University, and earned her doctorate from the University of Texas in French Literature. She was the first curator of the Austin-Travis County Collection from 1954-1975.
Dr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez accepts the award from former chair of the Katherine Drake Hart Award Committee, Charles Peveto.
The Katherine Drake Hart Award is generously underwritten by Joe Bryson, HABITEK International, Inc., and John and Candace Volz.
Previous Recipients
1991 - SUE MCBEE
1992 - EMMETT SHELTON & DOROTHY DEPWE
1993 - AUDRAY BATEMAN RANDLE
1994 - DRURY BLAKE ALEXANDER
1996 - DEALEY HERNDON
1997 - WAYNE BELL
1998 - MATT KREISLE
1999 - MARIAN B. DAVIS
2000 - MARY JO COOPER
2001 - BINNIE & DAVID HOFFMAN
2002 - BETTY BAKER
2003 - KAREN KOCHER
2004 - BIRUTA CELMIN KEARL
2005 - DR. DAVID B. GRACY
2006 - ED VAN de VORT
2007 - MICHAEL BARNES
2019 - Dr. MAGGIE RIVAS-RODRIGUEZ
2020 - GLORIA MATA PENNINGTON
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2021 - HAROLD McMILLAN
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2022 - KAREN KOCHER & MONICA FLORES