Chicago, IL (March 6, 2025) – The Lincoln Presidential Foundation (“Foundation”) is proud to announce that U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin will receive its 2025 Wayne Whalen “Charity for All” Award. This award, inspired by Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, recognizes individuals like Senator Durbin who exemplify civic leadership, generosity of spirit, and commitment to the ideals of this nation. The award presentation will take place during the Foundation’s Lincoln Leadership Prize event honoring Sam Waterston on April 21, 2025, at the Four Seasons Chicago. The prize will be presented to Sam by his longtime friend, U.S. Senator Angus King of Maine.
Senator Durbin will be the fourth recipient of the “Charity for All” Award and the second to receive it in Chicago since its renaming in 2022 to honor longtime Board Member and Chairman Emeritus Wayne Whalen. The award was first presented to Newt and Jo Minow in 2017, with recent honorees including Judy Woodruff and Ed Wehmer.
“I am honored to accept the Wayne Whalen ‘Charity for All’ Award from the Lincoln Presidential Foundation,” stated Senator Durbin. “Those words from Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, ‘with malice toward none, with charity for all,’ remain a guiding principle for all who believe in service to others. As this award acknowledges both through its namesake and past recipients, there are countless ways each of us can work to strengthen our democracy and serve our communities.”
During his Senate tenure, Durbin has sponsored or co-sponsored legislation on many key state and national issues, including education, healthcare, immigration and the Dream Act, veterans’ benefits, consumer protection, and gun safety. He has introduced or been a co-sponsor of hundreds of bills to support healthcare, voting rights, environmental protections, benefits for active military and veterans, and many other important human rights initiatives. He has also worked to share Abraham Lincoln’s visionary legacy with current and future generations.
“Senator Durbin’s lifelong leadership and public service embody the very spirit of this award,” noted Erin Carlson Mast, President and CEO of the Lincoln Presidential Foundation. “We also recognize his deep appreciation for history and advocacy for cultural heritage as essential to our nation’s future.”
Senator Durbin, a Democrat from Springfield, is Illinois’ senior U.S. senator and the state’s 47th senator overall. He also convenes Illinois’ bipartisan congressional delegation. As the Senate Democratic Whip–the second highest-ranking position among Senate Democrats–he has been re-elected to this leadership role by his colleagues every two years since 2005.
Elected to the U.S. Senate on November 5, 1996, and re-elected in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020, Durbin fills the seat left vacant by the retirement of his longtime friend and mentor, U.S. Senator Paul Simon. He chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2021 to 2025 and led the Ketanji Brown Jackson Supreme Court nomination hearings.
The Lincoln Leadership Prize event is the primary fundraiser for the Lincoln Presidential Foundation. For more information about the Lincoln Leadership Prize, please visit www.lincolnpresidential.org. For tickets and/or table sponsorship information, please contact Phyllis Evans at pevans@lincolnpresidential.org.
About the Lincoln Presidential Foundation
Established in 2000, the Lincoln Presidential Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity headquartered in Illinois. It is the only national foundation focused on increasing access to history, educational programs, exhibits, and sites highlighting the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. The Foundation does its work in cooperation and partnership with others locally, nationally, and globally. Its vision is a world where freedom and democracy flourish, inspired by the life and work of Abraham Lincoln. Learn more at lincolnpresidential.org.
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