Silver Buffalo Award
Encyclopedia
The Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...

. It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on a national basis, either as part of, or independent of the Scouting program. The award is made by the National Court of Honor and the recipient need not be a registered member of the BSA.

Award

The award consists of a silver buffalo suspended from a red and white ribbon worn around the neck. Recipients may wear the corresponding square knot, with a white strand over a red strand, on the BSA uniform.

Using the United States Military as the model, silver awards are the highest awards in the BSA.

History

The concept of the Silver Buffalo was based on the Silver Wolf Award award of the Boy Scout Association
The Scout Association
The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...

. The buffalo pendant was designed by A. Phimister Proctor. A red-white-red ribbon bar was introduced in 1934 for informal uniform wear. In 1946, ribbon bars were replaced by the current knot insignia.

During the first presentation in 1926, twenty-two awards were presented in a particular order determined by Chief Scout Executive
Chief Scout Executive
The Chief Scout Executive is the top professional of the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In most similar non-profit organizations, this is equivalent to the position of executive director....

 James E. West
James E. West (Scouting)
Dr. James E. West was a lawyer and an advocate of children's rights, who became the first professional Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America , serving from 1911–1943. Upon his retirement from the BSA, West was given the title of Chief Scout.-Personal life:His father died around the...

. Since then, the awards have been presented on an annual basis in alphabetical order.

The first Silver Buffalo Award was conferred upon Lord Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....

, founder of the Scouting movement and Chief Scout of the World. The second went to the Unknown Scout
Unknown Scout
The Unknown Scout was an anonymous member of The Boy Scout Association in the United Kingdom whose good turn inspired William D. Boyce to form the Boy Scouts of America .-Legend:...

 who inspired William D. Boyce
William D. Boyce
William Dickson "W. D." Boyce was an American newspaper man, entrepreneur, magazine publisher, and explorer. He was the founder of the Boy Scouts of America and the short-lived Lone Scouts of America . Born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, he acquired a love for the outdoors early in his life...

 to form the BSA. This award is represented by a small buffalo statue in Gilwell Park
Gilwell Park
Gilwell Park is a camp site and activity centre for Scouting groups, as well as a training and conference centre for Scout Leaders. The 44 hectare site is in Sewardstonebury, Epping Forest, close to Chingford, London....

.

For fifty years the Silver Buffalo was awarded only to men until LaVern W. Parmley
LaVern W. Parmley
LaVern Watts Parmley was the fifth general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Parmley was the first woman to be awarded the Silver Buffalo Award from the Boy Scouts of America.LaVern Watts was born in Murray, Utah. She married Thomas J...

 became the first woman to receive the honor in 1976. As of 2008, 674 people have been presented the award, including 13 presidents of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

See also

Advancement and recognition in the Boy Scouts of America
Advancement and recognition in the Boy Scouts of America
Advancement and recognition in the Boy Scouts of America is a tradition dating from the inception of the Scouting movement. A fundamental purpose of advancement is the self-confidence a young man or woman acquires from his participation in Scouting...

List of recipients of the Silver Buffalo Award
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