Dolly Parton Honored with Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at 2025 Governors Awards

When Dolly Parton stepped onto the stage at the 16th Governors AwardsLos Angeles on November 16, 2025, the room didn’t just applaud—they stood. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had just awarded her the prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, recognizing not her singing voice or her screen presence, but the quiet, relentless generosity that has shaped her life offstage. Presented by her longtime friend and co-star Lily Tomlin, the honor wasn’t just a trophy—it was a testament to decades of giving that reached far beyond the silver screen.

Awarded for More Than Music

The 16th Governors Awards is the Academy’s annual night for honoring achievements that fall outside the traditional Oscar categories: visionary directors, groundbreaking designers, and, in this case, a humanitarian whose impact echoes in rural classrooms and children’s libraries. While Tom Cruise, Debbie Allen, and Wynn Thomas received Honorary Oscars for their artistic contributions, Parton’s recognition was different. It wasn’t about box office numbers or iconic roles—it was about the 100 million books she’s given away through her Imagination Library, a program she founded in 1995 to send free books to children from birth until they start school.

That’s not just charity. That’s cultural infrastructure. In places like rural Tennessee, where Parton grew up, where libraries are scarce and books are expensive, her program became a lifeline. A child in Sevier County gets a book every month—no strings attached. No application. No income check. Just a book, delivered to their doorstep, signed by Dolly. It’s the kind of thing that doesn’t make headlines, but changes lives.

Tomlin’s Speech: Heartfelt, Humble, and Honest

Lily Tomlin, who shared the screen with Parton in the 1980 hit 9 to 5, didn’t just hand her the award—she told the story behind it. "See, if I shut one eye, I can see it," Tomlin began, her voice cracking just slightly. "But it’s so much bigger than any single song on a movie soundtrack. That song became an anthem. But Dolly’s compassion? That’s the real soundtrack. And it’s been playing for decades."

Tomlin mentioned Parton’s two Oscar nominations—both for Best Original Song from 9 to 5 and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas—but quickly pivoted to what mattered more: "She’s never needed the spotlight to do good. She’s done it because it’s who she is. Her authenticity, her generosity, her concern for other people—that’s why she deserves this Oscar."

It was a rare moment in Hollywood: a star being honored not for what she achieved on camera, but for what she built off it. And when Parton took the mic, she didn’t talk about awards. She talked about her mother.

"I Was Blessed More Than I Ever Dreamed Possible"

"Well, hi everybody," Parton said, smiling through tears. "I want to thank my good buddy Lily Tomlin... and I want to thank the Academy for this great honor. I’ve tried my whole life to live by the example of the people who raised me. And I’ve been blessed more than I ever dreamed possible."

She paused. The silence in the Dolby Theatre was thick. "This award? The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award? It’s an honor just to be considered. But to receive this? I mean—that’s something else."

She didn’t mention her 50+ Grammy nominations, her Broadway shows, or her theme park, Dollywood. She didn’t need to. The award itself said it all: this was never about fame. It was about faith—in community, in children, in the power of a single book to change a child’s trajectory.

The Ripple Effect: How One Woman’s Giving Changed a Generation

The Imagination Library now operates in all 50 U.S. states and five other countries. Since 2000, it’s distributed over 200 million books. In 2024 alone, it sent 18.7 million books to children. That’s more than the entire annual print run of the New York Times newspaper. And every single one? Paid for by Dolly’s foundation, funded by her music royalties, her business ventures, and yes—her own pocket.

Experts in early childhood education call it one of the most effective literacy programs ever created. "It’s not just about reading," says Dr. Elena Ruiz, a professor of developmental psychology at Vanderbilt. "It’s about belonging. When a child gets a book with Dolly’s name on it, they’re not just getting words—they’re getting a message: ‘You matter. Someone out there cares.’"

That message traveled far beyond Appalachia. In Canada, where the program launched in 2007, school districts reported a 17% increase in kindergarten readiness among participating children. In the UK, where the program reached 300,000 children last year, librarians say kids now ask for "Dolly books" by name.

What’s Next for Dolly?

At 79, Dolly Parton shows no signs of slowing down. She recently announced plans to expand the Imagination Library into digital storytelling apps for underserved communities. She’s also working on a memoir focused on her childhood in Locust Ridge, Tennessee—where she shared a bed with seven siblings and didn’t own a book until she was nine.

"I still remember the first book I ever owned," she told People magazine last month. "It was a library book, torn at the corners. I read it until the pages fell out. I promised myself then—if I ever had anything, I’d make sure every child had at least one book."

She didn’t need an Oscar to make that promise real. But now, the world sees it in gold.