Recipients of the Fadely History Award:

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1986:  Matthew E. Welsh, 41st Governor of Indiana (1961-1965).

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1987:  J. Reid Williamson, Jr., president, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana (1974-2005).

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1988:  Kanwal Prakash (K.P.) Singh, Indianapolis artist specializing in architectural drawings.

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1989:  Joseph T. Taylor,  professor of sociology and founding dean of the School of Liberal Arts, IUPUI.

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1990:  William H. Hudnut III, 45th Mayor of Indianapolis (1976-1992).

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1991:  Emma Lou Thornbrough & Gayle Thornbrough

• Emma Lou Thornbrough, professor of history at Butler University and author of books on African American history, including The Negro in Indiana Before 1900: A Study of a Minority(1957); and Indiana Blacks in the Twentieth Century (2000)

• Gayle Thornbrough, editor and former director of the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana Historical Bureau. Directed numerous publications, including the nine volumes of The Diary of Calvin Fletcher, 1817-1866.

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1992:  Howard Caldwell, journalist and news anchor, WRTV-6 (1959-1995). Producer of "Howard's Indiana" series and author of             numerous books on Indianapolis and Indiana history.

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1993:  Ophelia Umar Wellington, educator and founder of Freetown Village.

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1994:  Race Relations History Project/Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce

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1995:  Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, edited by David J. Bodenhamer, Robert G. Barrows, and David G. Vanderstel.

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1996:  Alan T. Nolan, attorney, civil rights activist, and Civil War Historian. Author of Lee Considered: General Robert E. Lee and                 Civil War History (1996) and The Iron Brigade: A Military History (1994).

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1997:  Fred Heckman, Indianapolis radio broadcaster on WIBC (1957-2000). Producer of "My Town Indy" radio essay series.

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1998:  Jerry Sargent, editor, Perry Township Weekly and editor emeritus, The Southside Times.

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1999:  Jim Irsay, owner, Indianapolis Colts.

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2000:  The Indianapolis Star for its turn of the millennium series on Indianapolis history.

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2001:  Irvington Historical Society

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2002:  Indiana German Heritage Society

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2003:  Randall Childers/Sacred Heart Church Restoration

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2004-05:  Ralph D. Gray, emeritus professor of history, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. Author of numerous                  books on Indiana history and editor of the Meredith Nicholson Reader published by the Marion County Historical Society                    (2007).  Recipient of the Indiana Historical Society Lifetime Achievement Award (2010).

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2006:  James J. Divita, professor, Marian University. Author of numerous books on Indianapolis parish histories,                                         including Indianapolis Cathedral: A Construction History of Our Three Mother Churches (1986) and Splendor of the South

            Side: A  History of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Parish in Indianapolis (2000).

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2010:  Pamela J. Bennett, director, Indiana Historical Bureau (1976 to present).

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2014:  Nelson Price, author, journalist, and historian; host of Hoosier History Live. 

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2015:  James A. Glass, Ph.D., architectural historian, columnist, founding Director of the Center of Historic Preservation at Ball               State University.

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2019:  Friends of Garfield Park

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2023:  Steve Barnett, Marion County Historian