neighborhood of
Washington, D.C. The Fund for American Studies was founded by
Charles Edison in 1967. Concerned about an eroding confidence in the American system of government, Edison recruited
Walter H. Judd, David R. Jones,
Marvin Liebman, and
William F. Buckley Jr. to build a program that would educate college students about American government, politics, and economics. On February 6, 1967, the group incorporated the Charles Edison Youth Fund. In 1969, Edison died suddenly. To honor him and carry on his mission, the organization was renamed the Charles Edison Memorial Youth Fund. In 1985, the organization was renamed again to its present-day title, The Fund for American Studies. In the summer of 1970, the Edison Fund organized the inaugural Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems. Fifty-seven students attended the first Institute. In 1993, The Fund for American Studies established overseas institutes in
Prague,
Chile, and
Hong Kong. == Walter Judd Freedom Award ==