The IHC honored Boise Basque Museum and Cultural Center Director Patty A. Miller with IHC’s Award for “Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities” at a dessert reception and award presentation ceremony in February at the Basque Cultural Center in Boise.

The IHC annually recognizes an individual or organization for outstanding contributions that promote greater public awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the humanities in Idaho. The IHC selected Miller to receive the award because of her longstanding commitment to the public humanities and her work to promote greater public understanding of Basque history and culture.

A third-generation Idahoan of Basque ancestry, Patty was a founding board member of the Basque Museum in 1985, and was asked to be the Executive Director of Boise’s Basque Museum & Cultural Center in 1993. Over the years, she’s been instrumental in helping to develop the Basque Block as a cultural jewel for the City of Boise. Her work has strengthened the Basque community in so many ways—from preserving buildings and teaching the Basque language, to developing interpretive exhibits that enhance greater awareness, appreciation, and understanding of Idaho history and Basque culture in particular. She has been involved over the years in the Oinkari Basque Dancers (1976–1987), Biotzetik Basque Choir (1986-2004), and Gaupasa Basque Folk Band (1996-2006). At the heart of every organization is someone who inspires it to be all it can be. For the Basque Museum and Cultural Center, that person is Patty A. Miller.

Patty Miller accepting her "Outstanding Achievement in Humanities" award from the Idaho Humanities Council (Feb. 2010).

What Patty has done for the Basque Museum has been instructive as well to members of the Idaho Association of Museums, which elected her President of the organization in 2006. A graduate of Boise High School and the University of Idaho, she has devoted her life to the Basque community. In the words of Bishop Kelly President and IHC Board Member Dave Lachiondo, in addition to her accomplishments, Patty is “wonderfully kind, relentlessly upbeat, incredibly humble . . . and a fantastic ambassador for the Basque community, the City of Boise, the State of Idaho, and the human race.”

Community activist and fellow IHC board member Alice Hennessey, Boise, concurs: “I want to emphasize Patty’s work ethic,” Hennessey says. “She has never worried about the wording of her job description. She’s endlessly generous with her time and experience in helping other museums in the state to learn to grow. Sharing is essentially her middle name. She welcomes groups to the Basque Museum and Cultural Center with the same warmth and hospitality that she would show visitors to her own home.”

Over 100 friends, colleagues and family members attended the award ceremony.  BSU History Professor John Bieter, Roy Eiguren, Dave Lachiondo, Alice Hennessey and surprise guest historian Arthur Hart, read tributes and helped roast Miller before she made a presentation.
 

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