Federal Woman's Award

[1] The Federal Woman's Award was established by Barbara Bates Gunderson in 1960, while she was serving on the Civil Service Commission.

The nominations were judged by a panel of "persons prominent in public life", including magazine editors, broadcasters, journalists, business executives, and college presidents.

Among the judges were Milton S. Eisenhower, Carl Rowan, Doris Fleeson, Arthur Sherwood Flemming, Sol Linowitz, David Brinkley, Betty Furness, and Katharine E.

[5][7][8] About six recipients were selected each year, for their "outstanding achievement and ability in an executive, professional, scientific, or technical position in the federal service.

[12] "Although the prize had served its purpose at no cost to the government, its continuation in the era of equal opportunity as a separate compensatory award for women only, which had seemed so harmless and even chivalric before, began to raise concerns and embarrassment," noted historian of science Margaret Rossiter.

President John F. Kennedy meets with recipients of the 1962 Federal Woman's Award, 1962.
President John F. Kennedy meets with recipients of the 1962 Federal Woman's Award for outstanding contributions to government on February 27, 1962. Shown from left to right are Dr. Allene R. Jeanes , Research Chemist at the Department of Agriculture ; Evelyn Harrison, deputy director of the Bureau of Programs and Standard at the Civil Service Commission ; Dr. Nancy Grace Roman , Chief of Astronomy and Solar Physics at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ; President Kennedy; Margaret H. Brass, Attorney at the Department of Justice ; Katherine W. Bracken, Director of the Office of Central American and Panamanian Affairs at the Department of State; Dr. Thelma B. Dunn , cancer researcher at the National Cancer Institute ; Katie Louchheim , Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs (accompanying the recipients). Photo taken in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C.
President Lyndon B. Johnson poses in the Oval Office with six white women, all winners of the 1964 Federal Woman's Award; from left to right: Elizabeth Messer, Evelyn M. Anderson, Gertrude Blanch, President Johnson, Patricia van Delden, Margaret Schwartz, and Selene Gifford
President Lyndon B. Johnson poses in the Oval Office with six winners of the 1964 Federal Woman's Award; from left to right: Elizabeth Messer, Evelyn M. Anderson , Gertrude Blanch , President Johnson, Patricia van Delden , Margaret Schwartz, and Selene Gifford