The Clare Boothe Luce Award was established in 1991 by the Heritage Foundation

Heritage Foundation

The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...

 in memory of Clare Boothe Luce

Clare Boothe Luce

Clare Boothe Luce was an American playwright, editor, journalist, ambassador, socialite and U.S. Congresswoman, representing the state of Connecticut.-Early life:...

, an American playwright

Playwright

A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...

, journalist

Journalist

A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...

, ambassador

Ambassador

An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....

, and U.S. congresswoman. The award is the foundation’s highest public honor for distinguished contributions to the conservative

Conservatism

Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...

 movement. The first Clare Boothe Luce Award was given jointly in September 1991 to Shelby Cullom Davis

Shelby Cullom Davis

Shelby Cullom Davis was an American investment banker, philanthropist, and former United States Ambassador to Switzerland hailing from the state of New York...

, a former U.S. ambassador, and his wife, Kathryn Wasserman Davis

Kathryn Wasserman Davis

Kathryn Wasserman Davis is an American philanthropist and the widow of businessman Shelby Cullom Davis, who was the United States Ambassador to Switzerland from 1969-74. Her husband died in 1994...

. A lecture was delivered on that occasion by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...

.

Heritage has presented the award to many notable members of the conservative movement, including former U.S. President Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

, who received the award in 1997; Nobel economist Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman was an American economist, statistician, academic, and author who taught at the University of Chicago for more than three decades...

 and his wife Rose Friedman

Rose Friedman

Rose Director Friedman , also known as Rose D. Friedman and Rose Director was a professor at the University of Chicago Law School. She was the wife of Milton Friedman , the winner of the 1976 Nobel Prize in Economics, and sister of Aaron Director...

 in 1998; conservative author and commentator William F. Buckley Jr. in 1999; Thatcher in 2002 and former U.S. senator and judge James L. Buckley

James L. Buckley

James Lane Buckley is a retired judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and previously served as a United States Senator from the state of New York as a member of the Conservative Party of New York from January 3, 1971 to January 3, 1977...

in 2010.

External links

• Remarks by Lady Thatcher on Receiving the Clare Boothe Luce Award