Over the years, the Thomas Merton Center has honored the following activists who work on national and international issues that transform our world. We honor them yearly at the annual Thomas Merton Award dinner which is open for our community of activist members to attend.  We are also able to recognize and honor a local activist for their work rooted in making Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania a more just and peaceful community for all at our annual New Person of the Year Award. 

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1972- James Carroll

1973- Dorothy Day

1974- Dick Gregory

1975- Joan Baez

1976- Dom Helder Camara

1978- Dick Hughes

1979- Bishop John Burt & James Malone

1980- William Winpisinger

1981- The People of Poland

1982- Archbishop Ramon Hunthausen

1983- No Awardee

1984- Bernice Johnson Reagon

1985- Henri Nouwen

1986- Allen Boesak

1987- Miguel D’ Escoto

1988- Daniel Berrigan

1989- Comrades of El Salvador & Elizabeth

1990- Marian Wright Edelman

1991- Howard Zinn

1992- Molly Rush

1993- Reverend Lucius Walker

1994- Richard Rohr, OFM

1995- Marion Kramer

1996- Winona LaDuke

1997- Ron Chisolm

1998- Studs Terkel

1999- Wendell Berry

2000- Ronald V. Dellems

2001- Sister Joan Chittister

2002- Bishop Leontine T.C. Kelly

2003- Voices

2004- Amy Goodman

2005- Fr. Roy Bourgeois

2006- Angela Davis

2007- Cindy Sheehan

2008- Malik Rahim

2009- Dennis J. Kucinich

2010- Noam Chomsky

2011- Vandana Shiva

* 40th Anniversary Peace and Justice Award – Medea Benjamin

2012- Martin Sheen

2013 – Bill McKibben

2014 – Jeremy Scahill

2015 – Congresswoman Barbara Lee

2016 – Frida Berrigan

2017 - The Center for Constitutional Rights

2018 - Monica Ruiz