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.\" Etta Baker (fine arts), Jaki Shelton Green (literature), Frank Borden Hanes (public service), James Baxter Hunt, Jr. (public service), Mary Ann Scherr (fine arts), and William Thornton (science) received the award in 2003.