Eight distinguished North Carolinians were presented the North Carolina Award, the state's highest honor, by Governor Roy Cooper at a Nov. 14 ceremony at the at the Raleigh Marriott City Center. The award recognizes significant lifetime achievements in the areas of fine arts, literature, public service and science. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the awards.

The 2024 honorees are The Avett Brothers (Scott Avett, Seth Avett, and Bob Crawford) for Fine Arts, William Henry Curry for Fine Arts, Frank A. Bruni Jr. for Literature, Thomas W. Earnhardt for Science, Christina H. Koch for Science, and Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr. for Public Service.

Established by the General Assembly in 1961, the first medals for the North Carolina Award were given in 1964. Since then, more than 300 notable men and women have been honored by the state of North Carolina.

The North Carolina Award program is funded by sponsors that include Wells Fargo, Martin Marietta, RTI, Wolfspeed, Lenovo, Duke Energy, ECU Health, CBC/WRAL Community Fund of the Triangle Community Foundation, Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, PBS North Carolina, NCSU College of Engineering, N.C. School of Science and Mathematics, NC Opera, Dr. Myron S. Cohen and Dr. Gail Henderson, Honorable G K Butterfield, Justice W. Earl Britt, and Michael Alan McFee.

For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov/NCawards. The awards are administered by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina - its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.