The JFK Profile in Courage award is a unique trophy in the pantheon of Society Awards creations. While we craft some of the most prolific trophies in entertainment, business, sports, and more, where victory is often determined by popularity or skill, the JFK Profile in Courage award sets itself apart by rewarding integrity in action, not outcomes.
The awards acts as a beacon for many, and Society Awards is honored to create such a precious artifact that carries the full weight of what it represents. This is the story behind the JFK Profile in Courage award.
Profile in Courage:
The Book & The Award
Since 1989, the Kennedy family and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum have presented the Profile in Courage award to public officials who demonstrated extraordinary political courage. The ceremony was created in the spirit of Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize-winning book.
Profiles in Courage tells the story of eight U.S. State senators who risked their political careers by standing up for particular ideals or principles, even as the pressure to fall in line came from their constituents, popular opinion, and political action committees. Kennedy's interest in the subject went back to his senior thesis at Harvard; a study of British political leaders who failed to oppose popular resistance to rearming in the 1930s, leaving the country dangerously unprepared for World War II.
Years later, with inspiration from experiences as a Senator, battles with physical pain, and commanding a PT boat in WWII, Kennedy would return the subject and finally publish Profiles in Courage in 1965.
"A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality"
John F. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage
Who Receives the Profile in Courage Award?
Each year, a distinguished bipartisan committee created by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation identify the living public officials whose decisions embodied the spirit of Profiles in Courage. The ceremony for the honorees is held annually in late May near President Kennedy's birthday on May 29, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, MA.
The criteria for the JFK Profile in Courage award set it apart from your average awards nominee:
- The award is typically giving to living Americans who are or were elected officials.
- The award recognizes a single act of political courage, not a career.
- Individuals at all levels of government, federal, state, and local, are eligible for the award.
- Emphasis is placed on contemporary acts of political courage.
- In rare and special circumstances, awards have been made to foreign officials.
Additionally, the public is highly encouraged to nominate those befitting these criteria.
Edwin Schlossberg's Design & Society Awards' Expertise
The original designer of the Profile in Courage award is the famed American artist and designer, Edwin Schlossberg. Schlossberg was deliberate about every choice and in his own design summary, he explained the thinking directly:
"The physical presence of this piece should reflect the meaning and significance of the award. It must also be a handsome and elegant object; one which is distinctive, unique, yet easily recognizable. We believe a ship's lantern best meets these goals."
Edwin Schlossberg, Design Summary
Originally manufactured by fellow famed luxury house, Tiffany & Co, this custom award is now created by Society Awards, continuing the history of prestigious manufacturing. The award stands 11” tall, made of aluminum with a high-end electroplated silver finish. While it is not a functional lantern, it is modeled after the authentic lanterns from 19th-century American ships, as mentioned by Schlossberg, and has four glass panels.
The nautical image of the lantern harkens back to the naval career of JFK. The lantern elicits immediate recognition and symbolizes the search for an honest leader. The light of the lantern is a beacon of warning, of safety, and of hope in the wilderness, illuminating the path ahead.
Two panels carry etched text identifying the purpose of the award and a dedication to the recipient. A third panel is etched with a traditional nautical compass rose, while the final panel bears a quote from Profiles in Courage:
"In whatever arena of life one may meet the challenge of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience...each man must decide for himself the course he will follow."
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Our artisans work with the trophy's intricate form, the etched inscriptions, compass rose, and quote to ensure that each element is rendered with the care it deserves. Every element of the trophy reinforces the same idea that a courageous person is one who is honest, has integrity, and finds their own path despite the darkness of outside pressures.
Four Decades of Principles Over Politics
The award's recipient list reflects both its bipartisan character and its tendency to recognize decisions that history later vindicates. At the time of their selections, many honorees faced significant criticism from within their own political parties. Previous winners include:
- 2025 - Mike Pence for certifying the 2020 election despite direct pressure and threats
- 2022 - Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his wartime leadership and defense of democratic sovereignty
- 2017 - Barack Obama for his time as United States President
- 2001 - John Lewis received a special Lifetime Achievement award for his lifelong commitment to civil rights
- 1999 - John McCain for co-sponsoring the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
On May 31st, 2026, two Profile in Courage Awards will be given out. The first, to Jerome Powell for protecting the independence of the Federal Reserve, which is critical to the stability of the global economy. The second, to The People of Twin Cities, Minnesota for risking their lives to protect their neighbors and immigrant community members from an unprecedented federal law enforcement operation.
"For the scientist, the moment is the Nobel or the Lasker; for the journalist, the Pulitzer; the actor, the Oscar. For those in government, it is the Kennedy."
- Governor Lowell Weicker
A Custom Trophy Worth of the Moment
The JFK Profile in Courage Awards represents what recognition, at its finest, should accomplish: a purposeful design, a rigorous standard, and a trophy worthy of the weight of the moment it marks. This is a timeless symbol of humanity and tribute to the leader who has inspired generations to act with courage for their country.
To begin your custom project or learn more about our concierge services, we invite you to reach out to, our concierge team via email or at (212) 845-9980 .
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