Governor Greg Abbott, along with the 1836 Project Advisory Committee, has announced the creation of the Gubernatorial Historic Promotion and Patriotism Awards. This annual program will recognize Texas educators and advocates who have made significant efforts to promote the history and patriotism of Texas.
“We must always remember the men and women who bravely defended our state and country,” said Governor Abbott. “Texans who educate future generations understand the principles and values our soldiers courageously defended. These new Gubernatorial Historic Promotion and Patriotism Awards will recognize the important work done by Texans who preserve and promote the history and patriotic knowledge of our great state.”
Texas 1836 Project Advisory Committee Chair Dr. Don Frazier noted, “There is a lot of great work going on across our state, and so much of it goes unrecognized. Community members and hardworking teachers are pouring their lives into the story of our state, and these awards represent our small part in recognizing them for their efforts.”
Dr. Caroline Crimm, a member of the 1836 Project Advisory Committee, added, “The Governor’s 1836 Project Advisory Committee is particularly proud to honor our teachers and educators who are promoting patriotic education and historical awareness across Texas. Our teachers deserve to receive all the thanks and appreciation that we can bestow.”
The awards aim to highlight individuals actively advancing this mission through educational activities, storytelling, or community engagement. There are two main categories: Individual Excellence, which honors long-term contributions by educators or advocates of Texas history; and Project Innovation, which recognizes recent initiatives that creatively interpret or promote Texas’s historic resources.
Nominations are currently open until January 31, 2026. Recipients will be chosen by members of the 1836 Project Advisory Committee—a group consisting of historians, educators, and preservation experts from throughout Texas. Winners will be honored at an annual ceremony in Austin with formal recognition as well as a monetary prize.
The initiative follows House Bill 2497 passed by the Texas Legislature in 2021—which established the 1836 Project to promote patriotic education statewide—and was signed into law by Governor Abbott.
More information about nomination guidelines can be found at tea.texas.gov/1836project.
