Posthumous award
{{short description|Award granted after death}}
File:Grammy Award of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr..jpg
A posthumous award is an award that is granted after the recipient has died.{{cite web |title=Definition of posthumous |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/posthumous |website=www.merriam-webster.com |publisher=Merriam-Webster, Inc. |language=en |date=10 February 2025}} (Example uses, "she received a posthumous award for her life of philanthropy", "the soldier was awarded a posthumous medal for valor"). Many prizes, medals, and awards can be granted posthumously.{{cite journal |last1=Ryder |first1=Stuart |title=The evolution of posthumous gallantry awards |journal=The RUSI Journal |date=February 1999 |volume=144 |issue=1 |pages=75–79 |doi=10.1080/03071849908446360}}
Military decorations
Military decorations, such as the Victoria Cross or the Medal of Honor, are often given posthumously. The title Hero of the Soviet Union was posthumously given, but the Gold Star medal was not awarded itself. During World War II, many countries practiced the granting of posthumous awards.{{cite web |url=https://www.armyheritage.org/events/sacrifice-remembered-posthumous-awards-of-the-purple-heart-in-wwii |title=Sacrifice Remembered: Posthumous Awards of the Purple Heart in WWII |access-date=2022-04-06 |archive-date=2020-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125020111/https://www.armyheritage.org/events/sacrifice-remembered-posthumous-awards-of-the-purple-heart-in-wwii/ |url-status=live |work=Army Heritage Center Foundation |date=2020-09-30}} In the Soviet Union, the only posthumous award that was physically awarded was the Order of the Patriotic War. All other awards were not physically awarded. Until 1977, upon the death of an awardee, all medals and awards were returned.{{cite web |url=https://www.aukedevlieger.nl/interesting.htm|title=A Few Interesting Pieces |access-date=2023-06-04 |archive-date=2022-12-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222083537/https://www.aukedevlieger.nl/interesting.htm |url-status=live |first=Auke |last=de Vlieger}} Less commonly, certain prizes, medals, and awards are granted only posthumously, especially those that honor people who died in service to a particular cause. Such awards include the
Confederate Medal of Honor award, to Confederate veterans who distinguished themselves conspicuously during the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, to military personnel, police, or civilians who died while serving in a United Nations peacekeeping operation.
Other fields
Sports awards and titles can be awarded posthumously, for example 1970 Formula One champion Jochen Rindt, who died in a crash late in the season, but still had enough points to be named champion.{{cite web |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/drivers/hall-of-fame/Jochen_Rindt.html|title=Drivers Hall of Fame: Jochen Rindt |access-date=2022-04-06 |archive-date=2022-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406000148/https://www.formula1.com/en/drivers/hall-of-fame/Jochen_Rindt.html |url-status=live |first=Gerald |last=Donaldson |work=Formula1}}
Australian actor Heath Ledger won many awards after his death in 2008, particularly concerning his performance as The Joker in the film The Dark Knight.{{cite web |url=https://people.com/awards/heath-ledgers-family-so-proud-of-globe-nod |title=Heath Ledger's Family 'So Proud' of Globe Nod |access-date=2022-04-06 |archive-date=2022-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406000148/https://people.com/awards/heath-ledgers-family-so-proud-of-globe-nod/ |url-status=dead |author= |work=People Magazine |date=2008-12-11}}