Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IU Indianapolis faculty member among nine scholars to each receive $300,000 award for achievements in history and future endeavors
The Dan David Prize, the largest history prize in the world, announced today that Dr. Tyrone McKinley Freeman, Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IU Indianapolis, has been selected as a winner of the 2022 prize, alongside eight other outstanding early- and mid-career scholars of history. A selection committee of eminent scholars in the historical fields assessed hundreds of nominations from around the world as part of a rigorous process to select the winners, who will each receive $300,000 to recognize their achievements to date and support their future work.
Dr. Freeman is a historian of philanthropy who researches African-American charitable giving and activism. His work invites us to rethink traditional views of philanthropy as an arena reserved for wealthy elites, and to reconsider what philanthropy is and who can engage in it, as well as how African-American communities are understood and represented. He is author of Madam C.J. Walker’s Gospel of Giving: Black Women’s Philanthropy during Jim Crow.
“I am honored to receive the Dan David Prize in History. It provides important recognition and support for my work that explores who counts as a philanthropist and what counts as philanthropy by centering African Americans as agents of giving in the past and present. Rather than defining philanthropy in limited ways and ascribing it to a small percentage of the population, history shows it is part of our common collective human heritage,” Dr. Freeman said. “This prize will enable me to continue this work and take it to even deeper and higher levels. I am very grateful to God, my wife Michelle and children, family, mentors, colleagues, the university, friends and the Black communities of generosity that produced me.”
Dr. Freeman is widely engaged in expanding understanding of African-American philanthropy through his writing and public speaking. He is a Research Associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History where he supports the History of African American Fundraising Collecting Initiative and the Origins of Philanthropy in Early America Symposium.
“This is a fitting honor for Professor Tyrone Freeman as it recognizes his contributions as a scholar of the history of African-American philanthropy and the impact he will continue to have on the field in the future,” said Indiana University President Pamela Whitten. “Congratulations to him on this international recognition and outstanding achievement.”
Dr. Freeman is part of the inaugural cohort of winners under the newly redesigned Dan David Prize. The winners’ specialties cut across a wide array of historical disciplines – from prehistorical bioarchaeology to medieval studies to modern U.S. history – and their projects explore uncharted territory in history.
“We live in a world in which the humanities, and particularly history, are devalued and attract less investment, even as it remains clear that only by deepening our knowledge of the past we can gain a better understanding of the present,” said Ariel David, board member of the Prize and son of the founder. “For this reason we have chosen to focus exclusively on the historical disciplines and support emerging scholars and practitioners, within and beyond the academy, at a stage in their career when the Prize can make a bigger impact.”
Dr. Freeman’s innovative research combines history, philanthropic studies, Africana studies and Black Women's history to examine African-American philanthropy through an interdisciplinary lens.
“By integrating research from different disciplines and challenging us to reconsider philanthropy – both its origins and history and its crucial role in our society today – Dr. Freeman brings us valuable new insights. He is an excellent young scholar who is significantly changing our understanding of philanthropy, particularly important philanthropic engagement that for too long has been overlooked by many,” said Amir Pasic, Eugene R. Tempel Dean of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
An award-winning scholar and teacher, Dr. Freeman also is Director of Undergraduate Programs at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and Adjunct Associate Professor of Africana Studies at IU Indianapolis.
“IU Indianapolis is a place that nurtures innovation and emerging talent, so we are especially pleased that Dr. Freeman’s leadership is being recognized by the Dan David Prize. He is a dedicated teacher and public scholar, and that is reflected in his extensive engagement with our students, the campus community and beyond,” said Andrew R. Klein, Interim Chancellor of IU Indianapolis.
The 2022 Dan David Prize winners are:
• Mirjam Brusius, A cultural historian who studies visual and material culture in global and colonial contexts
• Bart Elmore, An environmental historian who investigates global capitalism and its impact on the environment
• Tyrone McKinley Freeman, A historian of philanthropy who looks at the long story of African-American community giving
• Verena Krebs, A historian of medieval Ethiopia who studies cross-cultural interactions between Africa and Europe
• Efthymia Nikita, A bioarchaeologist using human skeletal remains to explore questions of demography and migration
• Nana Oforiatta Ayim, A curator and art historian whose work centers African narratives in museums and heritage
• Kristina Richardson, A historian of the medieval Islamic world and the Romani people in the pre-modern Middle East
• Natalia Romik, A public historian and architect who works to preserve and commemorate lost Jewish lives in Eastern Europe
• Kimberly Welch, A legal historian who studies the roles of Black litigants and moneylenders in the antebellum South
Established in 2001 by the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Dan David, the Prize is endowed by the Dan David Foundation and headquartered at Tel Aviv University. The nine winners will be honored at the 2022 Dan David Prize Award Ceremony held in May.
To learn more about the Dan David Prize and the 2022 winners, visit www.dandavidprize.org.
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The Dan David Prize is endowed by the Dan David Foundation and headquartered at Tel Aviv University.
The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IU Indianapolis is dedicated to improving philanthropy to improve the world by training and empowering students and professionals to be innovators and leaders who create positive and lasting change. The school offers a comprehensive approach to philanthropy through its undergraduate, graduate, certificate and professional development programs, its research and international programs and through The Fund Raising School, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram and “Like” us on Facebook.