Abstract:
The North Carolina Award is the highest honor the state can bestow on its citizens. Suggested by Dr. Robert Lee Humber of Greenville and instituted by the 1961 General Assembly, the award recognizes 'notable accomplishments by North Carolina citizens in the fields of scholarship, research, the fine arts, and public leadership.' Maud Gatewood (fine arts), Robert L. Hill (science), Lee Smith (literature), George Watts Hill (public service), Joseph Mitchell (literature), and Andy Griffith (fine arts) received the award in 1984.