Society of
Automotive Historians

2023 James J. Bradley Distinguished Service Award

The James J. Bradley Distinguished Service Award is presented by The Society of Automotive Historians to museums, archives, and libraries for exemplary efforts in preserving motor vehicle resource materials.

Nominations should be emailed to sahawards@gmail.com by April 15, 2023.

Questions regarding the Bradley Award should be emailed to Bradley Award Panel Chair David A. Schmidt, Ph.D

Mr. Bradley, for whom the award is named, graduated from St. Norbert’s College in Wisconsin and received his M.S. in Library Science degree from the Carnegie Library School in Pittsburgh. During World War II he served on General Eisenhower’s staff in London, Paris, Berlin and Algiers. He spent more than 25 years with the Detroit Public Library; he joined the Library In 1953, began working in the the Library’s Automotive History Collection in 1955 and became the head of that collection in 1958. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Automotive Historians, a former president of Car Care Council, a member of the Special Libraries Association, the Antique Auto Club of America and the Friends of the Detroit Public Library, as well as an honorary member of the Ferrari Club of America and the Rolls-Royce Owners Club. Mr. Bradley passed away on November 27, 1980.  

Previous Award Winners

2022

See homepage.

2021

No Award

2020

Mercedes-Benz Classic Archives & Collection, Stuttgart, Germany

2019

AACA Library and Research Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania. (Repeat Award)

2018

The Canada Museum of Science and Technology at Ottawa, Ontario

2017

The Digital Scholarship Program, Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indiana

2016

The National Automobile Museum (The Harrah Collection), Reno, Nevada

2015

The Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, Delaware

2014

The Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan, Michigan

2013

International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen, New York

2012

Revs Institute for Automotive Research, Naples, Florida.

2011

Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, Coventry, UK

2010

The Automotive Research Library of the Horseless Carriage Foundation in La Mesa, California.

2009

Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, Michigan.

2008

Benson Ford Research Center at The Henry Ford, Dearborn, Michigan

2007

National Auto History Collection of the Detroit Public Library

2006

SAE International, Warrendale, Pennsylvania

2005

Stanley Museum, Inc. Kingfield, Maine, and Estes Park, Colorado

2004

Citizens Motorcar Company – America’s Packard Museum, Dayton, Ohio

2003

Nash Heritage Preservation Project, Nash Car Club of America

2002

Museum of Transportation, St. Louis, Missouri.

2001

American Truck Historical Society, Kansas City, Missouri.

2000

The Nethercutt Collection, Sylmar, California.

1999

Reynolds-Alberta Museum, Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada.

1998

Frederick C. Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, Cleveland, Ohio.

1997

National Motor Museum of Australia, Birdwood, South Australia.

1996

Automotive Hall of Fame, Inc., Dearborn, Michigan.

1995

Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, Auburn, Indiana.

1994

Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, Warwickshire, England.

1993

Studebaker National Museum, South Bend, Indiana.

1992

National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library, Detroit, Michigan.

1991

AACA Library and Research Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania.

1990

Museo dell’Automobile Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia, Turin, Italy.

1989

GMI Alumni Foundation Industrial History Collection, Flint, Michigan.

1988

Fondation de L’Automobile Marius Berliet, Lyons, France.

1987

Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan.

1986

Daimler-Benz Archiv-Geschichte-Museum, Stuttgart, Germany.

1985

National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, Hampshire, England.

1984

Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1983

Helen Jones Earley, Archivist and Executive Secretary for Public Relations, Oldsmobile Division of General Motors, Lansing, Michigan.

1982

Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association of the United States