History Department alumna Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham received the National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama. After graduating from UWM with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1969, she taught American history in Milwaukee Public Schools before earning her doctorate and becoming one of the leading scholars of African American history. Professor Higginbotham teaches history at Harvard University. She received an honorary doctorate from UWM in 2014.

Credit: Ralph Alswang for National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

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UWM alum Higginbotham named National Humanities Medalist

President Obama Awards 2014 National Humanities Medal

Remarks by the President at the National Medals of the Arts and Humanities Awards Ceremony

Video: The President Awards the National Medals of the Arts and Humanities
Cue at 19:50 for the award to Higgenbotham.