The Spirit of America Award
The Spirit of America Award, which is co-sponsored by NCSS and Social Studies School Service, was created to give recognition to an individual who has made a significant contribution that exemplifies the “American Democratic Spirit.” The award honors persons who follow their conscience and act against current thinking in order to stand up for equity, freedom, and the American spirit of justice.

2022 Award Winner
LaGarrett King is the recipient of the 2022 Spirit of America Award. He is an associate professor of social studies education and the founding director for the Center for K–12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education at the University at Buffalo. He is an award-winning scholar who researches the teaching and learning of Black history, theories that center race literacies, and teacher education. He has over sixty publications and six published or in-press books, including Perspectives of Black Histories in Schools, Racial Literacies and the Social Studies, Teaching Enslavement in American History, We Be Lovin’ Black Children, We Be Lovin’ Black History, and Countering Miseducation in Black History.
List of previous award winners:
Year Received
Recipient Name