Each award presentation is accompanied by a guest lecturer who discusses contemporary social issues "in the spirit of Herblock.
"[1] Previous Herblock Prize guest lecturers include Ben Bradlee, President Barack Obama, Sandra Day O’Connor, Tom Brokaw, Tim Russert, Ted Koppel, George Stevens, Jr., Jim Lehrer, Garry Trudeau, Gwen Ifill, and Bob Woodward.
[1] When Herb Block died in October 2001, he left $50 million with instructions to create a foundation to support charitable and educational programs that help promote and sustain the causes he championed during his 72 years of cartooning.
The Herb Block Foundation is committed to defending the basic freedoms guaranteed all Americans, combating all forms of discrimination and prejudice, and improving the conditions of the poor and underprivileged through the creation or support of charitable and educational programs with the same goals.
The Herb Block Foundation awarded its first grants and the annual Herblock Prize in editorial cartooning in 2004.