BATON ROUGE - John Maxwell Hamilton, the founding dean of the Manship School, has been awarded the American Journalism Historian's Association's highest honor. 

Hamilton, a longtime journalist and author, was chosen to receive the Sidney Kobre Award for Lifetime Achievement.

“Dr. Hamilton has provided a wealth of invaluable contributions to our field over his many decades as an academic,” said Willie Tubbs, chair of the selection committee. “The Service Awards Committee was thoroughly impressed with Dr. Hamilton's nomination packet and were delighted to celebrate his career. In short, John Maxwell Hamilton is the type of scholar who AJHA leadership had in mind many years ago when the Kobre Award was established. His research is incisive, robust and significant, and the scope of his efforts place him in the company of the most accomplished names in our field.”

“It has been a privilege to think and write about journalism history, for the roots of our profession provide warnings and inspiration for contemporary reporters and editors,” said Hamilton. “I have been doubly fortunate to have done this work with both professional and academic colleagues from whom I learned much. This award would never have come without them.”