Progress!

I have just learned that a AAS subcommittee and the AAS LGBTQ liaison have forwarded a proposal to the Executive Council to honor Dr. Kameny at the Austin meeting in January. This proposal will be taken up this fall (October I think), and the prospects for passage appear very good. The form of the honor is not clear, but will probably be an ad hoc special recognition.

Regarding a named prize, the gears of the bureaucracy move slowly, but they are definitely moving. A subcommittee has been formed to consider creating a new formal prize, with parameters like eligibility and frequency to be determined, that would be suitable for cases like Dr. Kameny's: astronomers who do noteworthy work outside the field. It takes time for this to happen, and if even if it happens quickly there will have to be a formal, proper fundraising effort, which will take even more time (even with our head start). If such a prize is eventually instituted, it is reasonable to assume that it would be named for someone, and that person could be Dr. Kameny, in principle. It is also reasonable to assume that Dr. Kameny would be a natural recipient for this prize.

I have been told that the committee does not want to wait for this deliberate process to conclude before recognizing Dr. Kameny, thus the proposal for a special award in Austin. I was told that the intention of this award is not as a replacement for a later honor, which is still being seriously considered, but will take a while.

My personal take on this is that things are moving as quickly and as well as could be hoped for. This is all very good news!

AAS Boston update

Mixed news from Council regarding the establishment of a new prize, but the bottom line is that there is support for giving Dr. Kameny some sort of award. Stay tuned.

Spring Deadline Closed

The deadline for submission of cosponsorships to the AAS Council in time for the Summer 2011 meeting has closed. You can still help by pledging toward endowing the prize and at Buy Frank a Drink.

Welcome to the Kameny Prize Website

Dr. Frank Kameny is a "Founding Father" of the gay rights movement and, not coincidentally, an astronomer. This page is the Web presence of the effort to have the American Astronomical Society award a prize to Dr. Kameny for his lifelong efforts to achieve equality for GLBT Americans.

The AAS currently has no formal mechanism for recognizing astronomers for praiseworthy accomplishments outside of the context of astronomy. This nomination would establish such a prize, to be awarded occasionally, and name it after its exemplar and first recipient, Franklin Edward Kameny.

Our goal is to have the Council approve the new prize when it meets before the May 2011 Boston meeting. The final deadline for full members to submit cosponsorships is May 1, 2011.

You can learn more about Dr. Kameny in the nomination letter or from the biographical information pages.

You can learn how you can help on the "How you can help" page.

You can further support the effort through our Facebook page.

Post a comment here to describe your contribution to the effort, and thanks for your support!