2024
Rosa Lopez Killips
Lansing (Ingham County), Mexican folklorico dance and community organizing
Great Lakes African American Quilters Network
Livonia (Wayne County), African American quilting
Kitty Donohoe
Ann Arbor (Washtenaw County), Michigan traditional songs and songwriting
2023
Sheila Graziano
Chelsea (Washtenaw County), clogging
Lorenzo Lopez
Lansing (Ingham County), Mexican folkloric and Latinx dance
Pretty Shaky String Band
East Lansing (Ingham County), old-time music
Ashoka Rao
Swartz Creek (Genesee County), Kathak dance
2022
Ara Topouzian
Bloomfield Hills (Oakland County), Armenian kanun playing
Alfred Bruce Bradley
Flint (Genesee County), tap dance
Drs. William and Yvonne Lockwood
Chelsea (Washtenaw County), documentation, preservation, and publication of Michigan traditional art, folklife, and culture
Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus
Metro Detroit area (Wayne County), Ukrainian bandura music
2021
Anny Hubbard
Sault Ste. Marie (Chippewa County), birch bark cut out work
Dr. Deborah Smith Pollard
Detroit (Wayne County), gospel radio announcing
2020
Bill Church
Hopkins (Allegan County), storytelling
Nic Gareiss
Lansing (Ingham County), percussive dance
Paavo Nurmi
Hessel (Mackinac County), Finnish American distaff carving
Patricia Shackleton
Sault Ste Marie (Chippewa County), birch bark cut work
2019
Elgia Hickok
Sears (Osceola County), Primary founder of the Original Dulcimer Players Club
Martin Huron Solis, Jr.
Melvindale (Wayne County), conjunto music- bajo sexto and vocals
Roger LaBine
Trout Creek (Ontonagon County), wild rice collection
2018
Mick Gavin
Redford (Wayne County), Irish fiddling and melodeon playing
Neil Woodward
Howell (Livingston County), Michigan music, storytelling, and folklore
2017
Bruce Bauman
Remus (Mecosta County), traditional arts advocacy, education, and presentation
Dan Gorno
Bellaire (Antrim County), Traditional percussive and waltz dancing and dance calling
Anshu Varma
East Lansing (Ingham County), mehndi and Indian American cultural traditions
2016
The Costabella Cloggers
--- (Mecosta County), team cloggers
David Dutcher
Hessel (Mackinac County), Native American artist [appliquâ beadwork, copper jewelry, leatherwork]
Carole Howard
Mount Pleasant (Isabella County), square dance caller
Matt Kazmierski
Plymouth (Wayne County), marimba builder
Thomas Kelly
Detroit (Wayne County), a cappella Gospel singing
Gary Tassier
Cedarville (Mackinac County), boatbuilder and restorer
Paul Wilson
Hessel (Mackinac County), traditional boat builder
2015
Ronald Ahrens
Three Oaks (Berrien County), lace maker
Stephen Stier
Empire (Leelanau County), barn preservation and barn building arts
Ronald Ahrens
Three Oaks (Berrien County), lace maker
Stephen Stier
Empire (Leelanau County), barn preservation and barn building arts
2014
Karl Byarski
Kinde (Huron County), documenter and collector of traditional music and community stories in Michigan's Thumb region
Danny Johnston
Harbor Springs (Emmet County), tradition bearer of Michigan fiddling traditions
Alan Lomax
--- (---), documenter and collector of Michigan traditional music
2013
Carlson's of Fishtown
Leland (Leelanau County), Great Lakes commerical fishing occupational traditions
Wesley Cooper
Fremont (Newaygo County), bamboo fly rod builder
2012
Johnnie Bassett
Oak Park (Oakland County), blues guitarist and vocalist
Paulette Brockington
Highland Park (Wayne County), Lindy Hop and swing dancer
The Ship's Company, Friends Good Will
South Haven (Van Buren County), malinspike seamanship
Guillermo Martinez, Ren├⌠Meave, & Los Bandits
Plainwell (Allegan County), Tejano music
2011
Deborah Caryl
Davison (Genesee County), sheep shearing
Calvin Cooke
Detroit (Wayne County), sacred steel guitar player
Gaylord Klancnik
Carleton (Monroe County), Slovenian polka musician and band leader
2010
Alberta Adams
Detroit (Wayne County), blues singer
Renee Dillard
Harbor Springs (Emmet County), black ash basket maker
John Pigeon
Hopkins (Allegan County), black ash basket maker
The Swedish-American Community of Brevort, Michigan
Brevort (Mackinac County), Swedish Midsummer pole and celebration
2009
Les Ross, Sr.
Marquette (Marquette County), Lumberjack style harmonica player
Willard Finch
Stockbridge (Ingham County), decorative painter
2008
Seikichi Iha
Lansing (Ingham County), shido-kan karate-do
John Hanna Sarweh
Lansing (Ingham County), qanun player
Herb Nehring
Kalamazoo (Kalamazoo County), blacksmith
2007
William McDonald
Delton (Barry County), waterfowl decoy carver
Earl Otchingwanigan
Crystal Falls (Iron County), Ojibwe culture specialist and tradition bearer
Ron Sherry
Clinton Township (Macomb County), iceboat builder
2006
Abdul Karim Bader
Farmington Hills (Oakland County), oud musician
Ernie Hawks
Lansing (Ingham County), ornamental architectural plasterer
Herman Chapman
St. Clair Shores (Macomb County), model boat builder
2005
Ia Moua Yang
Warren (Macomb County), Hmong textile artist
J.W. Westcott Company and Crew
Detroit (Wayne County), maritime occupational traditions
2004
Stas Wisniach
Farmington (Oakland County), accordionist
Messiah Quilters
Marquette (Marquette County), quilters
James Rice
Hudson (Lenawee County), leather worker
2003
Ronald J. Paquin
Sault Ste. Marie (Chippewa County), birch bark canoe maker
Laina Marie Lampi
Clawson (Macomb County), rag rug weaver
Richard M. Dorson
Bloomington (Indiana) (---), folklorist
2002
Mary Schafer
Flushing (Genesee County), quilter
Giovanni Battista Perona
Calumet (Houghton County), bones player
Adell Beatrice Raisanen
Hartland (Livingston County), rag rug weaver
Paul Lahti
L'Anse (Baraga County), rag rug weaver
Lois Bettesworth
Flushing (Genesee County), old-time fiddler
2001
Gertrude Kurath
Ann Arbor (Wayne County), documenter of Woodland Indian dance and culture
Glen VanAntwerp
Tustin (Osceola County), cedar fan carver
Restore Douglass
Big Rapids (Mecosta County), fiddler
Oren & Toni Tikkanen
Alpha (Iron County), promoters, supporters, and chroniclers of Upper Peninsula traditional music and dance
2000
Henry Engelhard
Bay Port (Huron County), originator, supporter, and promoter of Bay Port Fish Sandwich Festival
Deacon Albert Likely
Detroit (Wayne County), singer, leader, and teacher of lined out metered hymns
Irene Vuorenmaa
Ironwood (Gogebic County), Finnish-American rag rug weaver
Mary Torsky
Cedarville (Mackinac County), pysanky artist
1999
Frederick Wenson
Farmington Hills (Oakland County), palm frond braider
Melvin Kangas
Pelkie (Baraga County), kantele player
Cadieux Club Feather Bowlers
Detroit (Wayne County), feather bowlers
1998
Bob Summers
Traverse City (Grand Traverse County), builder and preserver of bamboo fishing rods
Lois LaFernier
L'Anse (Baraga County), Ojibwa cultural and historic preservation leader
Anna Crampton
Haslett (Ingham County), black ash basketmaker
1997
William Stevens
Charlevoix (Charlevoix County), grange hall musician
Lula Williams
Detroit (Wayne County), quilter
Paul Hagemeister
Dryden (Lapeer County), timber-frame barn builder and restorer
1996
Tony Martinez
Detroit (Wayne County), ornamental iron worker
Julia & Wade Mainer
Flint (Genesee County), Old-time Appalachian musicians
1995
Ken Krum
Marshall (Calhoun County), decoy carver
D.J. Krogol
Lansing (Ingham County), Highland bagpiper
Deonna Green
Remus (Mecosta County), quilter
1994
Rev. Czeslaw Michal Krysa
Orchard Lake (Oakland County), Polish-American community leader
Pushpa Jain
Okemos (Ingham County), meh'ndi artist
Nadim Dlaikan
Southgate (Wayne County), Arab-American musician
Eddie Burns
Detroit (Wayne County), blues musician
Ellen Angman
Calumet (Houghton County), Finnish-American rag rug weaver
1993
Anna Lassila
Mohawk (Keweenaw County), Finnish-American tradition bearer
Jewell Francis Gillespie
Beaver Island (Charlevoix County), Irish musician
1992
Aaron Little Sonny Willis
Detroit (Wayne County), blues harmonica musician
Daniel Rapelje
Lansing (Ingham County), pigeon breeder, trainer, and flyer
Yvonne Walker Keshick
Levering (Emmet County), porcupine quillworker
1991
Les Raber
Hastings (Barry County), fiddler
Capt. Edward Baganz
Grosse Pointe Park (Wayne County), Great Lakes freighter captain
1990
Sonia Maria Perez
Livonia (Wayne County), pi├▒ata maker
Dave Kober
Bear Lake (Manistee County), ice-fishing decoy carver
Mattie Moss Clark
Detroit (Wayne County), gospel singer
1989
Julia Wesaw
Hartford (Van Buren County), black ash basketmaker
Agnes Rapp
Berrien Springs (Berrien County), black ash basketmaker
The Quilters of St. Mary's
Lake Leelanau (Leelanau County), quilters
Earl Clifton Beck
Brighton (Oakland County), folklorist
Amneh Baraka
Dearborn (Wayne County), Palestinian needleworker
Howard Armstrong
Detroit (Wayne County), blues musician
1988
Ivan Walton
Mt. Pleasant (Isabella County), folkorist
Jingo Viitala Vachon
Toivola (Houghton County), storyteller
Don Stevens
Blanchard (Isabella County), Ojibwa cultural traditions bearer
Jay Stephan
Grayling (Crawford County), Au Sable River boat builder and guide
Edmund White Pigeon
Hopkins (Allegan County), black ash basketmaker
Donna Esch
Fairview (Oscoda County), quilter
Forrest Wicks
McMillan (Luce County), duck decoy carver
1986 – 1987
Elman Stewart
Alpena (Alpena County), fish decoy carver
Harriet Shedawin
Sault Ste. Marie (Chippewa County), black ash basketmaker
Isiah Ross
Flint (Genesee County), blues musician
Cecil McKenzie
Port Huron (St. Clair County), house party piano player
Lawrence McCoy
Sault Ste. Marie (Chippewa County), piano player
Russell Johnson
Strongs (Chippewa County), blacksmith
Margarette Ernst
Harrison (Clare County), piano player
Perry Allen
Shepherd (Isabella County), lumberjack singer and teller of tall tales
1985
Sippie Wallace
Farmington Hills (Oakland County), blues singer
Eli Thomas
Mount Pleasant (Isabella County), black ash basket maker
Art Moilanen
Mass City (Ontonagon County), Finnish American accordion player
Frank Mattison
Smyrna (Ionia County), fiddler
Thelma James
Detroit (Wayne County), folklife educator
Edith Bondie
Hubbard Lake (Alpena County), black ash basketmaker
