Each year, the American Academy of Arts and Letters gives out two Gold Medals to recognize outstanding work. These awards alternate between different categories:
In 1915, the Academy decided to create an extra Gold Medal for "special distinction." This medal honors the entire career of a person who is not already a member of the Academy. The first of these special lifetime achievement medals was given the following year to Charles Eliot, who was once the president of Harvard University.
A list of awards in individual categories is provided below, arranged alphabetically. After that, all prizes are listed in order from most recent to oldest. Source: