Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards

The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards honor individuals and organizations that are a positive force in the lives of blind people.

The 2024 Jacob Bolotin Award Winners: Deborah Kendrick, Donna Posont, Don Winiecki, Jonathan Mosen pose with members of the Bolotin Committee: Everette Bacon, Donald Porterfield, Jessica Beecham, Natalie Shaheen, and Mary Ellen Jernigan Dr. Jacob W. Bolotin (1888-1924) was the world’s first physician who was blind from birth. He achieved that goal despite the tremendous challenges faced by blind people in his time. Not only did he realize his own dream, but he also went on to support and inspire many others.

Winners of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards:

  • Break down barriers facing blind people in an innovative way
  • Change negative perceptions of blindness and blind people
  • Push past existing boundaries to inspire blind people to achieve new heights

Winners receive a cash award and have included entrepreneurs, volunteers, filmmakers, authors, mathematicians, technology developers, artists, teachers, nonprofit organizations, programs, partnerships, and more.

I am so honored and privileged to be receiving this and to be associated with such incredible pioneers like Kate Meredith and her team and everybody else that is doing work to actually raise the bar, because it has been so low! In the entertainment industry, the bar literally doesn't exist. We've been invisible this whole time. So to be recognized for the work that I'm doing not only as an individual artist for twenty-five years but also to be recognized doing the work for Access Acting Academy is incredible. — Marilee Talkington, 2020 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Recipient

The awards are presented annually at our national convention in July.

The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards are funded by the National Federation of the Blind with assistance from the Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust, which was created by a bequest left to the Santa Barbara Foundation and the NFB by Dr. Jacob Bolotin’s niece-in-law, author Rosalind Perlman.

Application

The online application for the 2025 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards is open. Nominations and recommendations will be accepted until April 15, 2025, 11:59 p.m. eastern.

Past Award Recipients

Read about more recipients in past issues the Braille Monitor. Bolotin Award recipients are typically highlighted in the August-September issue every year.

More Information

Blue badge that reads "National Federation of the Blind Bolotin Award Winner."Everette Bacon, Chairman
Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee
Cell: 801-631-8108
Email: [email protected]

Sponsored by the Alfred & Rosalind Perlman Trust. Presented by the National Federation of the Blind.