Musician, poet and activist Zachary Richard will be receiving the 2016 Humanist of the Year honor at an awards dinner in New Orleans on April 7.

(Photo by: Philip Gould)

The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH), Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Consulate General of France in Louisiana will be presenting Richard with the award, which is given annually by the state’s humanities council as part as efforts to “recognize the individuals and organizations making invaluable contributions to the culture of Louisiana,” according to the Consulate.

“Zachary Richard has played a crucial role in the promotion of the culture of Louisiana all around the world, and is both a global and local humanist,” said Consul General Grégor Trumel in a press statement. “We look forward to acknowledging him and celebrating his work.”

A native of Scott, in Lafayette Parish, Zachary Richard is a singer-songwriter, poet, documentary film producer, cultural activist, and environmentalist. Richard has released more than twenty albums, including multiplatinum and gold records.

Between the creation of a bilingual pair of middle-school-targeted textbooks on Acadian history, the production of two documentaries on the topic, and the founding of Action Cadienne, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing and promoting French immersion education programs in Louisiana, Richard’s work has been instrumental in the preservation and promotion of Louisiana’s French-Acadian heritage and language.

In 1998, OffBeat writer Angelie Alciatore described Richard as a man “dedicated to his art.” Richard  then opened to OffBeat’s Todd Mouton in a 2013 story, after the release of his album Le Fou.

Most recently, Richard offered a retrospective on his album Cap Enragé, in the REWIND section of OffBeat’s October 2015 issue.

“We couldn’t think of an individual who has done more to preserve our unique culture,” said LEH Executive Director Miranda Restovic in the press statement. “As a musician, a poet, and, truly, as a statesman, Zachary represents the strength and vitality of Louisiana.”