The Alexander, Clemens, Frye, Schildt Award (formerly the Henry Kyd Douglas Award) was started by the HCWRT to acknowledge local individuals who have made “contributions to the advancement of the study of the American Civil War through preservation, publication, and education.” It is named for four local individuals who have made profound contributions in these three areas. In addition, the HCWRT will make a donation in the recipient’s name to a local charity or organization of choice.
Ted Alexander was chief historian at Antietam National Battlefield. He co-founded and coordinated Chambersburg‘s Civil War Seminars and Tours, and raised funds for Civil War battlefield preservation. He was a founding member and served on the board of Greencastle’s Allison-Antrim Museum. He was also a consultant for the Time Life Books Civil War series. He led tours for Smithsonian Associates among others. Ted published numerous books and articles including a book on Antietam. He was the initiator of the study in recent years of the retreat from Gettysburg.
Tom Clemens earned his doctorate at George Mason University where he studied under Maryland Campaign historian Dr. Joseph L. Harsh. He has published a wide variety of magazine articles and book reviews, has appeared in several documentary programs, and is a licensed tour guide at Antietam National Battlefield. A retired professor from Hagerstown Community College, he also helped found and is the current president of Save Historic Antietam Foundation, Inc. Clemens is the editor of the three volume Maryland Campaign by Ezra Carman.
Dennis Frye was chief historian at Harpers Ferry National Park. He is the author of too many books and articles to mention. He helped found not one but two preservation organizations, Save Historic Antietam Foundation and what evolved into the American Battlefield Trust, receiving the Trust’s highest honor, the "Shelby Foote Award”. He has conducted countless tours and spoken at many conferences
John Schildt’s specialties are Antietam’s Hospitals and Lincoln’s visit to Antietam in October 1862 and has given many tours and lectures on these subjects and others. Through Save Historic Antietam Foundation, he was responsible for the signs that indicate a site served as a hospital for Antietam wounded. John has written numerous books about Antietam and is a founding member of Save Historic Antietam Foundation.
2001-02 -
2002-03 Rev. John Schildt
2003-04 Doug Bast
2004-05 George Maharay
2005-06 John Frye
2006-07
2007-08 Ed Bearss
2008-09 Roger Johnson
2009-10 Justin Mayhue
2010-11 Dr. Thomas G. Clemens
2011-12 Ted Alexander
2012-13 John Powell
2013-14 Dennis Frye
2014-15 Stephen Bockmiller
2015-16 Steve French
2016-17 George Franks III
2017-18 Jonathan Noyalis
2018-19 John Michael Priest
2019-20 Dennis Graham
2021-22 Steven R. Stotelmyer
2022-23 Joseph W. Stahl