Governor General's History Awards

Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching

We invite all interested teachers to complete the Stage 1 application form to provide an overview of an original project they have developed for their students. Stage 1 deadline: April 22.

Article / Governor General's History Awards

About the Awards

The Governor General’s History Awards are Canada’s top honours in the field of history and heritage. They celebrate the very best in Canadian achievements to ensure our national past has a vibrant presence in our society today.

The Governor General’s History Awards are administered by Canada’s National History Society, with the support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage, and Power Corporation of Canada.

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2024 Recipients

Stephen R. Bown

Stephen R. Bown’s work has transformed Canadians’ understanding of their history. Whether uncovering lesser-known events or exploring Canada’s foundational stories, Bown strives to make the past accessible, meaningful, and, yes, even entertaining.

Chinese Canadian Museum

The Chinese Canadian Museum is Canada’s first museum to honour the contributions, history, heritage, and the rich and diverse stories of past, present, and future Chinese Canadians.

Wendell Nii Laryea Adjetey (Nii Laryea Osabu I, Atrékor Wé Oblahii kè Oblayéé Mantsè)

Cross-Border Cosmopolitans offers fresh insights into Black liberation movements in the twentieth century, focusing on the transnational efforts of Black North Americans of American, Caribbean, and Canadian descent.

Jo Anne Broders

Jo Anne Broders and her Grade 8 class embarked on a year-long journey to uncover and honour the history of a little-known Mi’kmaq cemetery in Gambo, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Julie Gaudreault

Julie Gaudreault and her Grade 5 students explored various aspects of Quebec society around 1905. The story of Louis Cyr — the famous strong man of the time and a folk hero of the Lanaudière region of Quebec — served as a common thread to explore this important period.

Ben Gross and Daniel Kunanec

Tasting History was an interdisciplinary project that combined Grade 11 and 12 classes in history, hospitality and tourism, and green industries to explore a broad history of European Jewry beyond the Holocaust.

Jessica McIntyre

Project True North invited Grade 10 students to explore the lives of Canadian nursing sisters, members of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, and Canadian military medal recipients, illuminating the often-overlooked contributions of these individuals.

Michele Schwab

Michele Schwab wanted to create an opportunity for her students to make connections with local kêhtê-ayak (Cree for old ones) and knowledge carriers from Starblanket Cree Nation, Little Black Bear First Nation, Okanese First Nation, and Peepeekisis First Nation.

Nominations for any category of the Governor General's History Awards are accepted all year round. Tell us about the best Canadian history experience you had this year.

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