Phi Beta Kappa named Ayanna Thompson as the recipient of its Sidney Hook Memorial Award at its recent Triennial Council held in Baltimore, Maryland.
The award, established in 1991 in memory of the distinguished American philosopher and ΦBK member Sidney Hook (1902–1989), recognizes national distinction of an individual demonstrating excellence in each of three endeavors—scholarship, undergraduate teaching, and leadership in the cause of liberal arts education. A grant from the John Dewey Foundation supports the award’s cash prize. Phi Beta Kappa presents the award once every three years.
Ayanna Thompson is Regents Professor of English at Arizona State University, and Executive Director of the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. In 2021, she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Thompson is the author of numerous books, including Blackface (Bloomsbury, 2021), Teaching Shakespeare with Purpose: A Student-Centered Approach, co-authored with Laura Turchi (Arden Bloomsbury, 2016), and Passing Strange: Shakespeare, Race, and Contemporary America (Oxford University Press, 2011). As a supporter of collaborative endeavors, she founded the RaceB4Race symposia and networking series for scholars who specialize in premodern critical race studies. Through this collective, she has secured just under $10 million in grant funding to work with numerous colleges, universities, and archives to create collaborative programs and events. Thompson is also known for her public-facing work with theater companies. In this capacity, she serves as a Shakespeare Scholar in Residence at The Public Theater in New York, and currently serves on the boards of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Folger Shakespeare Library, the National Parks Arts Foundation, and Play On Shakespeare. She is a past-president of the Shakespeare Association of America.