Acclaimed Actor Wes Studi to be Awarded the 2025 Lenfest Spirit of the American Revolution Award on June 12

 Gala to Celebrate Additional Native American Industry Leaders, Museum’s Native American Interpretive Program

The Museum of the American Revolution today announced that internationally acclaimed actor, producer, and musician Wes Studi will be awarded the 2025 Lenfest Spirit of the American Revolution Award at an evening gala at the Museum on Thursday, June 12, 2025, co-chaired by Honorary Co-Chair Henry Louis Gates Jr., Board Member Ray Halbritter, and more to follow.

Studi has moved audiences for decades with unforgettable performances in “Dances with Wolves,” “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Geronimo: An American Legend,” and “Heat” — powerful character portrayals that forever changed a Hollywood stereotype. Breaking new ground, Studi brought fully developed Native American characters to the screen, and then went on to highlight the success of Native Americans in non-traditional roles.

Table sponsorships are now available online or by calling 267.579.3478. Individual tickets will go on sale in early 2025. Interested guests can email [email protected] to be notified when tickets become available. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Museum’s educational mission to uncover and share compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked America’s ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government.

The Museum is also excited to welcome other Native American industry leaders and celebrate Native American representation – in history, in Hollywood, and beyond – with this award, given in conjunction with the Museum’s newly announced Native American Interpretive Program, funded by a grant from Comcast NBCUniversal.

“The Museum of the American Revolution was founded with the intention to present a nuanced interpretation of our nation’s founding, one that acknowledges the complexities and costs as well as the triumphs and achievements in our shared experience,” said Dr. R. Scott Stephenson, President and CEO. “As we prepare to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we are thrilled to recognize Wes Studi for his remarkable career that has done so much to shape public understanding and appreciation of the cultures and histories of America’s indigenous peoples, in the past and the present.”

The Lenfest Award was created and endowed in 2016 by the Museum’s late Founding Chairman H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest to honor individuals who advance public awareness and understanding of history and its relevance in the ongoing American experiment. The Lenfest Award is presented on a semi-regular basis and may be given to an individual or to an organization active in a broad range of fields such as history, education, filmmaking, writing, media, and philanthropy.

The Museum previously presented the award to Harvard University historian Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., CNN Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour and President and CEO of New-York Historical Society Dr. Louise Mirrer, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough. The award is accompanied by a $25,000 prize.

About Wes Studi

From small-town Oklahoma native to internationally acclaimed actor and musician, Wes Studi credits his passion and multi-faceted background for his powerful character portrayals that forever changed a Hollywood stereotype.

Drawing from his rich life experience, Wes moved audiences with unforgettable performances in “Dances with Wolves,” “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Geronimo: An American Legend,” and “Heat,” as well as James Cameron’s “Avatar,” Paul Weitz’s “Being Flynn” and Scott Cooper’s “Hostiles.” Breaking new ground, he brought fully developed Native American characters to the screen, and then took his craft a step further by highlighting the success of Native Americans in non-traditional roles.

In 2019, Wes received the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Governors Award, an honorary Oscar statuette, given to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement. Acting was never a goal in Wes’ youth. The eldest son of a ranch hand, Wes was born in 1947 in Nofire Hollow, in Northeastern Oklahoma. He spoke only his native Cherokee until he was 5, which he continues to speak today. He joined the U.S. Army after high school and while stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, he volunteered to serve one tour in Vietnam.

After an honorable military discharge, Wes returned home with a fire in the belly and became seriously involved with Native American politics. He joined the American Indian Movement (AIM) and participated in the Trail of Broken Treaties protest in 1972, where hundreds of Native American activists marched on Washington. He was also one of the protesters who briefly occupied the Bureau of Indian Affairs Building there.

Not long after, Wes channeled his feelings toward positive change. Shortly after Wounded Knee, Wes moved to the Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where he worked for the Cherokee Nation and later attended Northeastern State University, Oklahoma - Tahlequah. After college, Wes shifted his attention to running his own horse ranch and became a professional horse trainer. It was during this era that he began acting at The American Indian Theatre Company in Tulsa in 1983 as an outlet for pent up feelings. Wes first took the professional stage in 1984 with “Black Elk Speaks” and was hooked. He has been acting ever since.

About Museum of the American Revolution

The Museum of the American Revolution uncovers and shares compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked America’s ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government. Through the Museum’s unmatched collection, immersive galleries, powerful theater experiences, and interactive elements, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for how this nation came to be and feel inspired to consider their role in ensuring that the promise of the American Revolution endures. Located just steps away from Independence Hall, the Museum serves as a portal to the region’s many Revolutionary sites, sparking interest, providing context, and encouraging exploration. The Museum, which opened on April 19, 2017, is an independent, non-profit, and non-partisan organization. For more information, visit www.AmRevMuseum.org or call 877.740.1776.