The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, also known as Carnegie Hero Fund, was established to recognize persons who perform extraordinary acts of heroism in civilian life in the United States and Canada, and to provide financial assistance for those disabled and the dependents of those killed saving or attempting to save others. Those chosen for recognition receive the Carnegie Medal[1] and become eligible for scholarship aid and other benefits. A private operating foundation, the Hero Fund was established in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1904 with a trust fund of $5 million by Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist.
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The fund was inspired by Selwyn M. Taylor and Daniel A. Lyle, who gave their lives in rescue attempts following a coal mine explosion in Harwick, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, on January 25, 1904. The disaster claimed 181, including Taylor and Lyle, who responded to the scene on hearing word of the explosion and joined in the rescue attempts. Only one person survived the explosion, 16-year-old Adolph Gunia. Greatly touched by Taylor's and Lyle's sacrifice, Carnegie had medals privately minted for their families, and within two months he wrote the Hero Fund's governing "Deed of Trust",[2] which was adopted by the newly created commission on April 15, 1904.
Administered by a 21-member board still based in Pittsburgh, the Hero Fund has awarded 9,262 medals as of April 2009 and has given $31.2 million in benefits. The recipients were selected from more than 80,000 nominees. "[O]nly pure, spontaneous do-gooders" can receive the medal; parents, professional lifesavers or lifeguards, and others with an incentive to perform the rescue are ineligible. 90% of the heroes are men, and almost one quarter of the medals are awarded posthumously.[3]
The three inch (7.13cm) in diameter bronze medallions which are given to awardees, are struck by Greco Industries of Danbury, Connecticut and consist of 85% copper, 5% tin, 5% lead, and 5% zinc.[4]
A verse from the New Testament of the Bible encircles the outer edge: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:1).
On 21 September 1908, Andrew Carnegie expanded the concept with the establishment of the British Carnegie Hero Fund Trust, based in Dunfermline, Scotland.[5]
Within the next three years, the British trust was followed by equivalent foundations in nine other European countries:
| Wikisource has the text of the 1920 Encyclopedia Americana article Carnegie Hero Fund. |