The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is awarded periodically by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) at the Governors Awards ceremonies for an individual's outstanding contributions to humanitarian causes. The award category was instituted in 1956 and first awarded at the 29th Academy Awards, in March 1957. Unlike the Academy Award of Merit, the nomination and voting for this award are restricted to members of the Board of Governors of AMPAS.

The award is named after Danish American screen actor and humanitarian Jean Hersholt (1886–1956), who served as president of the Motion Picture Relief Fund for 18 years. He also served as president of AMPAS from 1945 to 1949. Winners of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award are presented with an Academy Award Oscar statuette. As of the 88th Academy Awards, there have been 38 awards presented, two of which were posthumous.

† — posthumous awardee

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