Society of
Automotive Historians

2024 Friend of Automotive History Award

The Friend of Automotive History award recognizes a person who has made a profound individual contribution to the automotive history community and the historical record. The Award Panel may select more than one individual for a given year or may not select any individual for a given year. 

Nominations should be emailed to sahawards@gmail.com by April 15, 2024.

Questions regarding the Friend of Automotive History Award should be directed to the Award Panel Chair, Andy Beckman

Previous Award Winners

2022

Donald Davidson

2021

Richard Lentinello

2020

Peter Mullin

2019

Nicola Bulgari

2018

Jeff Godshall (deceased 2019)

Doug Nye

2017

Robert R. Ebert

2016

Susan S. Davis

2015

Jack C. Miller (deceased 2020) acceptance video with Jack Miller

2014

James Douglas Muir “Jay” Leno

2013

Frederick A. Simeone (deceased 2022)

2012

Joseph S. Freeman

2011

Kit Foster

2010

Miles C. Collier

2009

G. Marshall Naul (deceased 2015)

2008

Thomas H. Brownell (deceased 2009)

2007

Malcolm Jeal (deceased 2016)

2006

Bobbie’dine Rodda (deceased 2017)

2005

Leroy D. Cole

2004

Maurice D. Hendry

2003

Z. Taylor Vinson (deceased 2009)

2002

Richard M. Langworth
Karl E. Ludvigsen

2001

John Martin Smith (deceased 2012)

2000

Paul Berliet (deceased 2012)
Thomas E. Warth

1999

David W. Brownell (deceased 2021)

1998

Michael Worthington-Williams MBE (deceased 2021)

1997

Lord Montagu of Beaulieu (deceased 2015)

1996

L. Scott Bailey (deceased 2012)

1995

Chester L. Krause (deceased 2016)

1994

Walter O. MacIlvain (deceased 1998)

1993

Frederick D. Roe (deceased 2009)

1992

John A. Conde (deceased 2008)

1991

David L. Lewis

1990

Michael Lamm

1989

Ralph Dunwoodie (deceased 2003)

1988

Keith Marvin (deceased 2009)

1987

Peter Helck (deceased 1988)

1986

Beverly Rae Kimes (deceased 2008)

1985

Richard and Grace Brigham (Richard deceased July 1995, Grace 2009)

1984

Charles L. Betts, Jr. (deceased 1997)

1983

Henry Austin Clark, Jr. (deceased 1991)

Honorary Memberships

Prior to the Friends of Automotive History Award, these individuals were recognized with Honorary Memberships:

George Risley of the Detroit Public Library
Jerry Gebby of the Detroit Public Library
Duesenberg historian Raymond Wolfe
Automotive artist Peter Helck
Walter Spencer Huffman, who saved the personal papers of Elwood Haynes
Mary Cattie of the Automotive History Collection at the Free Library of Philadelphia
Strother MacMinn of the Art Center College of Design
William Harrah of the Harrah Museum
Roy Chapin, Jr. of American Motors
John R. Bond of Road & Track
Owen Bombard of the Ford Motor Company