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NAVA Awards and Honors

 

Over the years, NAVA has established awards and honors to recognize individuals and organizations for vexillological work and service.  The post-nominals for individuals listed below reflect the then-current postgraduate degree and military branch for flag officers.  The conferral of some awards has been suspended by the NAVA executive board.

Captain William Driver Award

The Captain William Driver Award recognizes the best paper presented by a NAVA member at the North American Vexillological Association’s annual meeting.  It honors Captain William Driver, who christened the United States flag “Old Glory”.  The award consists of a certificate and an honorarium of US$250, usually underwritten by NAVA’s commercial members.  The honorarium can help fund publication costs, such as image permissions.

View or download the Driver Award Guidelines and view a complete list of recipients and papers.

Vexillonnaire Award

NAVA’s Vexillonnaire Award, established by the NAVA executive board in 2003, recognizes a significant and successful act of activist vexillology, involving flag design or usage, in North America.  Vexillonnaires are flag scholars who become personally involved in a specific event of creating, changing, or improving flag design, or promoting good flag usage or altering it for the better.

See the complete list of Vexillonnaires.

Whitney Smith Fellows

Named for NAVA’s founder and first president, the executive board may elect as a Whitney Smith Fellow any current member who makes an outstanding contribution to North American vexillology, upon the recommendation of the awards and honors committee.  Fellows are entitled to use the post-nominal WSF.  Only a single fellow may be elected annually and only when there is a worthy recipient.  Originally the "Whitney Award", this is the Association’s highest recognition.

  • Charles A. Spain J.D. (2013)
  • John M. Purcell Ph.D. (1999)
  • Scot M. Guenter Ph.D. (1998)
  • Grace Rogers Cooper (1994)
  • Whitney Smith Ph.D. (1992)

NAVA 37 2003 24
NAVA 48 2014 22

Kevin Harrington Award

The Kevin Harrington Award honors the best article to appear in a non-vexillological publication during the preceding year.  The award’s namesake is a prolific author whose writings have appeared in a spectrum of publications, both within and outside our discipline.  Mr. Harrington’s record of vexillological outreach sets an example for expanding the scope and reach of vexillology by sharing ideas, promoting discussion, and encouraging involvement. The award is given only when there is a worthy recipient, and members of the executive board are not eligible.

  • Carlos A. Morales-Ramirez, M.S., M.A., "Learning Geography Through Flags", published in The Pennsylvania Geographer, volume 53, number 2 (Fall/Winter 2015) (2016)
  • Forrest D. Pass, Ph.D., " 'Something Occult in the Science of Flag-Flying': School Flags and Educational Authority in Early Twentieth-Century Canada", published in Canadian Historical Review, volume 95, number 3, pp. 321–351 (2014) (DOI 10.3138/chr.2156) (2015)
  • Christoph Bartneck Ph.D. and Adrian Clark Ph.D., "Semi-Automatic Color Analysis for Brand Logos", published in Color Research and Application, volume 40, number 1, pp. 72–84 (February 2015) (DOI 10.1002/col.21853) (2014)
  • Kevin Harrington M.A.(T.) (2013)

John Purcell Award

Named for NAVA’s 6th president and the co-author of American City Flags, the John Purcell Award is conferred on an individual by the executive board for an exemplary contribution that promotes public understanding of vexillology in North America, upon the recommendation of the awards and honors committee.  Only one award may be given annually and only when there is a worthy recipient.

  • Scott Mainwaring Ph.D., for originating and promoting World Vexillology Day (2016)
  • John M. Hartvigsen (2013)
  • John M. Purcell Ph.D. (2012)

Doreen Braverman Award

The Doreen Braverman Award is conferred by the executive board on an organizational member that has supported NAVA’s mission by making a significant contribution to the vexillological community, upon the recommendation of the awards and honors committee.  Founder of The Flag Shop, Ms. Braverman is one of only two women and one of only two Canadians to serve as president.  Her diverse interests in business and politics “led her to excel in multiple facets of life.”  The first award was given to Ms. Braverman individually.  Only one award may be given annually and only when there is a worthy recipient.

  • Annin Flagmakers—Bob Caggiano (2017)
  • Advertising Flag Company—Randolph (Randy) Smith and Mary Ann Docktor-Smith (2015)
  • Dixie Flag Manufacturing Co.—H. P. (Pete) Van de Putte, Jr. (2014)
  • Doreen Braverman (2013)

NAVA Presidential Citations

President citations are awarded to members who make significant contributions to the Association or to vexillology, but whose accomplishments do not fall within the criteria for other awards.  They are awarded by the president only when there is a worthy recipient and are intended to recognize distinguished achievement by a member.

  • Steven K. Knowlton (2022)
  • Peter A. Loeser (2022)
  • Charles A. Spain (2015)
  • Gustavo Tracchia (2014)
  • Great Waters Association of Vexillology (2012)
  • John M. Hartvigsen (2011)
  • The Rev. Richardson A. Libby (2011)

NAVA Honorary Membership

Honorary Membership is conferred by the executive board on an individual who renders distinguished service to NAVA or vexillology, upon the recommendation of the Awards Committee.

  • David B. Martucci (2022)
  • Don E. Carleton Ph.D. (2013)
  • Kirby A. Baker Ph.D. (2013)
  • Austin Smith (2013)
  • Scot M. Guenter Ph.D. (2011)
  • John M. Purcell Ph.D. (2010)
  • Whitney Smith Ph.D. (2009)
  • The Rev. John R. B. Szala (2001)
  • The Rt. Revd. D. Ralph Spence (2001)
  • Harry F. Manogg (2001)
  • Robert S. Gauron (1982)
  • Rear Adm. William Rea Furlong USN (1972)
  • Vivian W. Lehman (1970)

International Federation of Vexillological Associations

Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques (FIAV)

FIAV awards and honors / Prix et honneurs de FIAV

FIAV nominates individuals for awards and honors from the Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques (FIAV).  NAVA members who have been recognized by FIAV are listed below.

Laureates of the Federation / Lauréats de la Fédération

Established in 1969, Laureates are named by the FIAV Board for making an outstanding, original contribution to the science of vexillology.  The award consists of a certificate signed by the FIAV Board, a plaque, and a medal bearing the central knot device of the FIAV flag suspended from a neck ribbon of blue and yellow, the colors of the FIAV flag, as well as lapel pin.  Laureates may use the post-nominal LF.  This is the highest recognition in vexillology.

  • Anne M. Platoff Ph.D. (2022)
  • Scot M. Guenter Ph.D. (2003)
  • Whitney Smith Ph.D. (1991)

Fellows of the Federation / Fellows de la Fédération

Established in 2001, Fellows are named by the FIAV Board for making significant contributions to vexillology and/or for rendering significant service to FIAV or a FIAV Member.  The award consists of a certificate signed by the FIAV Board and a medal bearing the central knot device of the FIAV flag suspended from a chest ribbon of blue and yellow, the colors of the FIAV flag, as well as a lapel pin.  Fellows may use the post-nominal FF.

  • Steven K. Knowlton M.L.I.S., M.A. (2022)
  • Vanessa R. Van de Putte (2019)
  • H. Peter Van de Putte (2019)
  • Charles A. Spain (2019)
  • John M. Hartvigsen (2019)
  • Kenneth W. Reynolds Ph.D. (2017)
  • Ronald C. Strachan (2015)
  • Edward B. Kaye (2015)
  • Anthony C. Burton (2015)
  • Anne M. Platoff M.S., M.A. (2013)

  • John A. Lowe M.D. (2011)
  • Zachary K. Harden (2011)
  • Scot M. Guenter Ph.D. (2011)
  • Hugh L. Brady J.D. (2011)
  • Harry Oswald (2009)
  • Kevin Harrington M.A.(T.) (2007)
  • Gustavo Tracchia (2005)
  • John M. Purcell Ph.D. (2005)
  • Whitney Smith Ph.D. (2001)

The Vexillon / Le Vexillon

Established in 1989, The Vexillon/Le Vexillon has developed into an award for the most important contribution to vexillology during the two years preceding an International Congress of Vexillology.  The recipient is selected by the FIAV Board.  The award consists of a certificate signed by the FIAV Board and a plaque.

  • Anne M. Platoff M.S., M.A., Russian Regional Flags: The Flags of the Subjects of the Russian Federation (2011)
  • Howard M. Madaus and Whitney Smith Ph.D., The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord & Conflict (2007)
  • John M. Purcell Ph.D. and the other authors, editors, and staff of Raven: A Journal of Vexillology who worked on American City Flags Part 1: United States—150 Flags from Akron to Yonkers (2005)
  • Donald T. Healy and the editorial board and staff of Raven: A Journal of Vexillology who worked on Flags of the Native Peoples of the United States (1999)

The Whitney Smith Award

Established in 2005, the Whitney Smith Award honors the presenter of the best paper at an International Congress of Vexillology.  The recipient is selected by a panel appointed by the FIAV Board.  The award consists of a certificate signed by the FIAV Board and a pewter tray sponsored by NAVA.

  • Kryštof Huk, “Czech and Slovak Road to Communal Flags” (2022)
  • Hipólito Rafael Chacón Ph.D., “Iconographia Jacobaea: The Reach of Santiago, Spain’s Patrol Saint, in Municipal Heraldry and Vexillology” (2019)
  • Rachel Phelan, “What’s Up with the Big Green Flag? The Conservation of the Flag of the Irish Republic” (2017)
  • Anne M. Platoff M.S., M.A., “Old Flags, New Meanings” (2015) 
    (paper co-authored by Steven A. Knowlton)
  • Emil Dreyer, “Flags of the Pope’s Swiss Guard Since 1798” (2007)
  • Ralph D. Kelly, “Caudillos, Coups, Constitutions, and Changes: An Analysis of Flag Changes in Latin America” (2005)