Idaho Humanities Council to Honor Nakia Williamson-Cloud with Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities Award

Award presentation scheduled for September 24 at the Clearwater River Casino

BOISE, ID, UNITED STATES, September 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Idaho Humanities Council (IHC) is pleased to announce that Nakia Williamson-Cloud has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities Award, the organization’s highest honor. The award recognizes individuals whose contributions demonstrate the enduring value of the humanities and their power to strengthen communities across Idaho.
Williamson-Cloud will be honored during a special presentation on Thursday, September 24, 2026, in the Event Center East at the Clearwater River Casino. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. PDT, with the program beginning at 6:00 p.m. PDT.

A member of the Nez Perce Nation and director of the Cultural Resources Program for the Nez Perce Tribe, Williamson-Cloud has devoted decades to ensuring that Nez Perce culture is accurately represented, thoughtfully interpreted, and fully acknowledged for its lasting contributions to the region.
Through his work with tribal, federal, state, and educational partners, Williamson-Cloud has helped protect ancestral knowledge, preserve language and cultural resources, and deepen public understanding of the long history of the place we now call Idaho. His work reflects the essential role the humanities play in connecting people to history, culture, language, and place.

“Through his leadership, artistry, and generosity in sharing knowledge, Nakia Williamson-Cloud has helped Idahoans better understand and appreciate Nez Perce culture and history,” said Dulce Kersting-Long, chair of the Idaho Humanities Council Board of Directors. “His work embodies the very best of the humanities by preserving cultural knowledge, expanding public understanding, and inviting all of us to engage more deeply with the people, stories, and histories that define this place.”

The Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities Award has been presented by the Idaho Humanities Council since 1986. Recipients are selected from nominations submitted by current and former IHC board members and are recognized for exceptional contributions to the humanities in Idaho.
The September 24 presentation will provide an opportunity for community members, colleagues, friends, and supporters of the humanities to gather in recognition of Williamson-Cloud’s contributions and celebrate his decades of work preserving and sharing Nez Perce history and culture.

Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP by September 17, 2026, by emailing david@idahohumanities.org.

Event Details
Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities Award Presentation
Honoring Nakia Williamson-Cloud
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Event Center East, Clearwater River Casino
Doors open: 5:30 p.m. PDT
Program begins: 6:00 p.m. PDT
RSVP by September 17: david@idahohumanities.org

Johanna Bringhurst
Idaho Humanities Council
+1 208-345-5346
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