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Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.
Formation	1947; 78 years ago
Founders	Kenneth Beebe; Norman Vincent Peale;
Type	501(c)(3)
Headquarters	Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Key people	Byron Trott (CEO)
Website	horatioalger.org

The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is a nonprofit organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, that was founded in 1947 to honor the achievements of outstanding Americans who have succeeded in spite of adversity and to emphasize the importance of higher education. The association is named for Horatio Alger, a 19th-century author of hundreds of dime novels in the "rags-to-riches" genre who extolled the importance of perseverance and hard work.

The association gives the annual Horatio Alger Award to exemplars of its ideals. It also grants scholarships and describes itself as the largest provider of need-based scholarships in the United States.^[1] All scholarships are funded by the members of the Horatio Alger Association. As of 2023, the association had given "more than $245 million in college scholarships to roughly 35,000 students".^[2]

Mission

According to tax filings, the association's mission is to provide college scholarships to "help promising high school students (who fit the Horatio Alger profile)".^[3]

Furthermore, it seeks "to spread the message that America's free enterprise system provides the greatest opportunities in the world", and "to motivate and educate our nation's young people to the economic and personal opportunities afforded them by the promise of the American free enterprise system".^[4]

Scholarship programs

The Horatio Alger Association has one of the largest, privately funded, need-based college scholarship programs in the United States. Scholarships offered include the National Scholarship, State Scholarships, and the Dennis R. Washington Achievement Scholarship.

National Scholars

The National Scholars Program was created in 1984 to help American high school seniors who had overcome adversity attend college. Over time, the Horatio Alger Association has expanded the program. Every year, the association awards more than 100 National scholarships to students from every U.S. state and Puerto Rico. Grants received by these National Scholars are valued at $25,000 each. Recipients are also given an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. where they meet association members, attend the Horatio Alger Awards Ceremony, and learn about the federal government and the American free enterprise system.^[5] Since its inception in 1984, the program has awarded more than $125 million in college scholarships.

In 2010, the association gave $20,000 in scholarships to 104 high school seniors.^[6]

State Scholarships

The association also operates a State Scholars program that gives scholarships to students in every state. Award amounts range from $2,500 to $10,500.

Dennis R. Washington Achievement Scholarship

Alumni recipients of the scholarship are eligible to receive the Dennis R. Washington Achievement Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to alumni who are seeking graduate and doctoral degrees. The program is funded by a $10 million grant from Horatio Alger member Dennis R. Washington and his wife, Phyllis.^[7]

Horatio Alger Award

The association annually bestows the Horatio Alger Award on outstanding Americans who exemplify dedication, purpose, and perseverance in their personal and professional lives. Recipients have often achieved success in the face of adversity. Each award recipient becomes a lifetime member of the association.

The annual award series was inaugurated in 1947 by Kenneth Beebe of the American Schools and Colleges Association.^[8] In 1946, he had given achievement awards to two New York City businessmen. In 1947, he renamed the award for Horatio Alger and made four awards to businessmen.^[9] Recipients in subsequent years have included business and government leaders, athletes, entertainers, innovators, entrepreneurs, healers, teachers, artists, and writers who have overcome adversity and achieved great success. Approximately ten American awardees are announced each year. Additionally, each year since 2003, an International Horatio Alger Award has been presented to a citizen of another country who serves as a role model and embodies the ideals promoted by the association.

Notable awardees have included the following:^[10]


Hank Aaron, baseball player Roger Ailes, television executive Buzz Aldrin, astronaut Wally Amos, television personality, founder of Famous Amos Walter Anderson Dwayne Andreas, businessman Maya Angelou, poet Albert T. Annexstad, businessman Anousheh Ansari, engineer, businesswoman Philip Anschutz, businessman, investor George L. Argyros Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Anthony Athanas, restaurateur Bill Austin Bret Baier, journalist Robert Ballard, oceanographer Bernard Baruch Eric Ragnar Benson, businessman J. Robert Beyster Michael Bloomberg, businessman, New York City mayor W. Michael Blumenthal Norman Brinker, restaurateur Lou Brock Tom Brokaw, television journalist, author Benjy F. Brooks, pediatric surgeon Art Buchwald, political columnist Pearl S. Buck, author Dean Buntrock Carol Burnett, entertainer Herman Cain, former CEO of Godfather's Pizza, presidential candidate Chester Carlson Ben Carson, neurosurgeon, presidential candidate Johnny Cash, country musician S. Truett Cathy Doris K. Christopher, founder of Pampered Chef Mary Higgins Clark, novelist Jim Clayton John B. Connally, governor, cabinet official Jenny Craig (entrepreneur) Mary C. Crowley, company founder and author Nicholas D'Agostino, Sr., immigrant co-founder of D'Agostino Supermarkets Charles Deaton, architect, inventor Michael E. DeBakey, surgeon Richard DeVos, cofounder of Amway Leonardo DiCaprio, actor Lou Dobbs, television and radio journalist Bob Dole, Senator, presidential candidate Tom J. Donohue, CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce Allen B. DuMont Dwight Eisenhower, Army general and president Milton S. Eisenhower John Elway, NFL quarterback William F. Farley, businessman Bob Farrell, founder of Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour Ruth Fertel Zachary Fisher, philanthropist, businessman Gerald R. Ford, congressman and president George Foreman, boxer David Foster, musician Tommy Franks, Army general Allen Gellman Billy Graham, evangelist Phil Gramm, senator George L. Graziadio, Jr. Wayne Gretzky, hockey player Duane Hagadone, businessman Chuck Hagel, Senator Joyce C. Hall, founder of Hallmark Mark Victor Hansen Paul Harvey Rick Hendrick Willie Herenton Byron Trott, founder and CEO of BDT Capital Partners Walter J. Hickel Conrad N. Hilton, founder of Hilton Hotels Joseph H. Hirshhorn Herbert Hoover, president Bob Hope, comedian H. Wayne Huizenga, businessman	Arthur Imperatore Sr., entrepreneur, businessman Daniel K. Inouye, Senator Alphonso Jackson, former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development^[11] Waylon Jennings, musician Rafer L. Johnson James Earl Jones, actor Quincy Jones, musician Y. Michele Kang, businesswoman, sports owner, philanthropist^[12] Jewel Kilcher Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's Jack LaLanne, fitness expert Tom Landry, NFL coach (Dallas Cowboys) Ken Langone William P. Lear, inventor and businessman Jimmy John Liautaud, owner, founder, and chairman of Jimmy John's^[13] Art Linkletter, radio and television personality Ruth B. Love Rob Lowe, actor^[14] Clare Boothe Luce Allen Ludden David J. Mahoney John C. Maxwell, author, professional speaker, pastor Reba McEntire, musician^[15] Rod McKuen Ed McMahon, television personality Lorne Michaels Brian Mulroney Joseph Neubauer Jean Nidetch Katherine D. Ortega Norman Vincent Peale, minister, author Ruth Stafford Peale, author Roger Penske H. Ross Perot, technology entrepreneur, presidential candidate Roger Tory Peterson T. Boone Pickens, energy executive Byron Pitts Colin L. Powell, Army general, Secretary of State Wallace Rasmussen, businessman and philanthropist Ronald Reagan, President Ryan Reynolds Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State Kenny Rogers, musician Ralph B. Rogers, industrialist, chairman of PBS John W. Rollins, co-founder of Rollins Inc. O. Wayne Rollins, co-founder of Rollins Inc. Herman J. Russell, entrepreneur and philanthropist Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken Jack Sandner George D. Sax Ray Scott Walter Scott, Jr. Tom Selleck, actor Jane Seymour, actress, author, entrepreneur Rose Cook Small, businesswoman C. R. Smith David L. Sokol Earl W. Stafford, philanthropist founder of The Stafford Foundation Willie Stargell, baseball player Roger T. Staubach, football player Edward Durell Stone W. Clement Stone Marcia G. Taylor Anthony J. Terlato Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court Justice Danny Thomas, entertainer Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's Lowell Thomas Tommy Thompson, governor Fred Trump, real-estate developer Frank L. VanderSloot, businessman Herschel Walker Dennis R. Washington Denzel Washington, actor Lawrence Welk, musician Carl Westcott Frederic Whitaker Oprah Winfrey, television personality Minoru Yamasaki, architect Chuck Yeager, Air Force General, test pilot

Criticism

On July 10, 2023, Business Insider reported that the association had been given unusual access to the Supreme Court of the United States courtroom by Justice Clarence Thomas, who holds annual induction ceremonies for new association members there.^[16] On several occasions, Thomas has invited members and scholarship recipients to the Supreme Court.[1]

On July 10, 2023, the Washington Post reported that it was through friendships made in the association that Thomas had been invited to "luxurious vacation retreats, VIP sections of National Football League games, and star-studded events".^[17]