Few Nobel Peace Prize Winners Black, or Women
Improvement in Diversity Since end of World War II
Oct 10, 2009
The surprise announcement in October 2009 that Barack Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 has thrown into sharp relief the question of racial, gender and religious diversity among the Nobel Peace Prize winners as a group. Both individual and institutions can win the Nobel Peace Prize, which was begun in 1901. To date, 96 individuals, and 23 organizations have won it. The vast majority of the 96 individual winners have been white, male and European.
In 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his last will and testament, dedicating some of his estate to "the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." While not bound by any requirement for diversity, the Nobel Prize is an idiosyncratic yardstick of the state of global affairs in any given year or decade. An analysis of its recipients sheds light on the march toward equality over the past century.
Race Analysis of Nobel Peace Prize Winners
Through the entire history of the Nobel Peace Prize, eight individuals or about eight percent of winners have been African or African-Americans. Since 1946, the beginning of the post-WWII baby boom generation, 14 percent of the 59 individual post War winners has been African or African American.
Similarly, nine women have won the prize in total. This translates into nine percent of all individual winners having been women. Since 1946, the beginning of the post-WWII baby boom generation, 8 of the 59 individual Peace Prize winners has been women, equaling 14 % of the total. Since 1946, 86% of all Nobel Peace Prize winners have been male.
Religion and Nationality of Nobel Peace Prize Winners
The first prize winner from Latin America was Carlos Saavedra Lamas, of Argentina, in 1936; the first African winner was Albert Lutuli of South Africa in 1960; the first Asian winner was Le Duc Tho of Vietnam, who shared the honor with Henry Kissinger.
Ironically, the first time that the Nobel Peace Prize was given to a Jew or Muslim, it was given to them both, simultaneously: Anwar al-Sadat, Menachem Begin in 1978. The first Buddhist to receive the award was the 14th Dalai Lama, in 1989. The first representative of the Indian subcontinent to win was Bangladeshi Muhammad Yunus, who shared the honor in 2006 with the Grameen Bank
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of several Nobel Prizes.
Since 1901, Nobel Prizes have been given in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and for peace. The program is one of the world's most prestigious international awards. The awards are administered by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden.
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