Editing Whittaker Chambers (section)

==Legacy==
In 2011, author [[Elena Maria Vidal]] interviewed David Chambers about his grandfather's legacy. Versions of the interview were published in the ''[[National Observer (USA)|National Observer]]'' and ''[[The American Conservative]]''.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.nationalobserver.net/2011/84-2-david-chambers-interview.htm |title=Whittaker Chambers remembered: Elena Maria Vidal interviews David Chambers |journal=National Observer |issue=84 |date=2011 |access-date=November 9, 2012 |archive-date=February 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208120839/http://www.nationalobserver.net/2011/84-2-david-chambers-interview.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Maria |first=Elena |url=http://www.amconmag.com/blog/historys-witness/ |title=History's Witness |work=The American Conservative |date=April 28, 2011 |access-date=November 9, 2012 |archive-date=September 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904074752/http://www.amconmag.com/blog/historys-witness/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Presidential Medal of Freedom (1984)===
[[File:presidential-medal-of-freedom.jpg|thumb|right|Chambers received the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] posthumously from President [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1984]]
In 1984, President [[Ronald Reagan]] posthumously awarded Chambers the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], for his contribution to "the century's epic struggle between freedom and totalitarianism". In 1988, Interior Secretary [[Donald P. Hodel]] granted national landmark status to the [[Whittaker Chambers Farm|Pipe Creek Farm]].<ref name=Britannica/><ref>{{cite news
 | title = Site in Hiss–Chambers Case Now a Landmark
 | date = May 18, 1988
 | work = The New York Times
 | url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=940DEEDA1339F93BA25756C0A96E948260
 | access-date = June 20, 2008
 | archive-date = February 14, 2009
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090214133504/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=940DEEDA1339F93BA25756C0A96E948260
 | url-status = live
 }}</ref> In 2001, members of the [[George W. Bush]] administration held a private ceremony to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of Chambers's birth. Speakers included William F. Buckley, Jr.<ref>{{cite magazine
 | title = Witness and Friends: Remembering Whittaker Chambers on the centennial of his birth.
 | date = August 6, 2001
 | magazine = [[National Review]]
 | url = http://www.nationalreview.com/flashback/2001200511220837.asp
 | access-date = June 20, 2008
 | archive-date = May 13, 2008
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080513105646/http://www.nationalreview.com/flashback/2001200511220837.asp
 | url-status = live
 }}</ref>

===Shortlived "Whittaker Chambers Award" (2017–2019)===
In January 2017, the [[National Review Institute]] (NRI) inaugurated a "Whittaker Chambers Award"<ref>{{cite web
| title = 2017 Ideas Summit
| publisher = National Review Institute
| url = https://nrinstitute.org/whittaker-chambers-award
| date = 2017
| access-date = March 30, 2019
| archive-date = March 30, 2019
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190330144242/https://nrinstitute.org/whittaker-chambers-award
| url-status = live
}}</ref> for its 2017 Ideas Summit.<ref>{{cite web
| title = 2017 Ideas Summit
| publisher = National Review Institute
| url = http://nrinstitute.org/2017-ideas-summit
| date = January 2017
| access-date = January 23, 2017
| archive-date = February 2, 2017
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170202014434/http://nrinstitute.org/2017-ideas-summit
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

Recipients:
* '''Daniel Hannan:''' On March 16, 2017, the first recipient was [[Daniel Hannan]] [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]],<ref>{{cite web
 | first = Jack
 | last = Fowler
 | title = From Atop the Summit
 | publisher = National Review Institute
 | url = http://www.nationalreview.com/article/444749/national-review-ideas-summit-2017-announcement
 | date = February 9, 2017
 | access-date = February 12, 2017
 | archive-date = February 11, 2017
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170211184452/http://www.nationalreview.com/article/444749/national-review-ideas-summit-2017-announcement
 | url-status = live
 }}</ref> dubbed "the man who brought you [[Brexit]]" by ''[[The Guardian]]''.<ref>{{cite news
 | first = Sam
 | last = Knight
 | title = The man who brought you Brexit
 | newspaper = The Guardian
 | url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/sep/29/daniel-hannan-the-man-who-brought-you-brexit
 | date = September 29, 2016
 | access-date = February 12, 2017
 | archive-date = February 11, 2017
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170211144354/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/sep/29/daniel-hannan-the-man-who-brought-you-brexit
 | url-status = live
 }}</ref> 
* '''Mark Janus:''' In February 2019, NRI announced its second biennial winner of the award, [[Mark Janus]].<ref>{{cite magazine
 | title = Mark Janus to Be Honored with Whittaker Chambers Award at NR Institute 'Ideas Summit'
 | magazine = National Review
 | url = https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/mark-janus-to-be-honored-with-whittaker-chambers-award-at-nr-institute-ideas-summit/
 | date = February 20, 2019
 | access-date = March 30, 2019
 | archive-date = March 30, 2019
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190330144242/https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/mark-janus-to-be-honored-with-whittaker-chambers-award-at-nr-institute-ideas-summit/
 | url-status = live
 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine
 | title = National Review Institute to present Mark Janus with the 2019 Whittaker Chambers Award
 | magazine = National Review
 | url = https://nrinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Whittaker-Chambers-Award-Press-Release.pdf
 | date = February 2019
 | access-date = March 30, 2019
 | archive-date = March 30, 2019
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190330144325/https://nrinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Whittaker-Chambers-Award-Press-Release.pdf
 | url-status = live
 }}</ref> Supporters say Janus champions free speech; detractors say he seeks to erode public unions by enabling free rides.<ref>{{cite web
 | title = Janus and fair share fees The organizations financing the attack on unions' ability to represent workers
 | publisher = Economic Policy Institute
 | url = https://www.epi.org/publication/janus-and-fair-share-fees-the-organizations-financing-the-attack-on-unions-ability-to-represent-workers/
 | date = February 21, 2018
 | access-date = April 4, 2019
 | archive-date = April 4, 2019
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190404130441/https://www.epi.org/publication/janus-and-fair-share-fees-the-organizations-financing-the-attack-on-unions-ability-to-represent-workers/
 | url-status = live
 }}</ref>

In March 2019, ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' reported strong opposition from the family of Whittaker Chambers.<ref name=WSJ-Award>{{cite news
| first = Jess
| last = Bravin
| author-link = Jess Bravin
| title = Whittaker Chambers Award Draws Criticism – From His Family: Family members say the conservative icon would be appalled by the recipients of the National Review's prize
| newspaper = [[The Wall Street Journal]]
| url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/whittaker-chambers-award-draws-criticismfrom-his-family-11553765402
| date = March 28, 2019
| access-date = March 30, 2019
| archive-date = March 30, 2019
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190330031902/https://www.wsj.com/articles/whittaker-chambers-award-draws-criticismfrom-his-family-11553765402
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref name=WEF-Award>{{cite magazine
| title = National Review Institute ends Whittaker Chambers Award amid his descendants' outcry over recipients
| magazine = [[Washington Examiner]]
| url = https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/national-review-institute-ends-whittaker-chambers-award-amid-his-descendants-outcry-over-recipients
| date = March 29, 2019
| access-date = March 30, 2019
| archive-date = March 30, 2019
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190330144240/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/national-review-institute-ends-whittaker-chambers-award-amid-his-descendants-outcry-over-recipients
| url-status = live
}}</ref> It quoted from a family statement: "All of us agree: the efforts of the two awardees run counter to the instincts and experience of Whittaker Chambers. All of us agree: their efforts have not matched his."<ref name=WSJ-Award /> Chambers's son said that the two awardees "are way, way off the target of the man whose name goes along with the award".<ref name=WSJ-Award/> One grandchild said, "I almost thought, well, 'Gosh, did the ''National Review'' guys read his book?'"<ref name=WSJ-Award /> Regarding the award to Daniel Hannan, another grandchild said, "My grandfather would have been horrified" by a [[Brexiteer]] who sought to divide the West (the European Union), as if it were a favor to the "very [[Stalin]]-like" [[Vladimir Putin]].<ref name=WSJ-Award /> Regarding the anti-union Mark Janus, the family noted that Chambers's wife, [[Esther Shemitz]], had been a member of the [[International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union]] and that other family members were active in unions, including Chambers himself in the [[Newspaper Guild]].<ref name=WSJ-Award />

In response, ''National Review'' conceded, "We don't own the Chambers name".<ref name=WSJ-Award /> While it refused the family's request to withdraw the two awards, it did agree to discontinue it.<ref name=WSJ-Award/> It also agreed to publish the Chambers family's statement on its website the weekend after the award.<ref name=WSJ-Award /> After ''National Review'' did not publish on time as promised, the family published themselves ("Withdraw Whittaker").<ref>{{cite web
| first = David
| last = Chambers
| title = Withdraw Whittaker
| publisher = WhittakerChambers.org
| url = https://whittakerchambers.org/about/whittaker-chambers-award/
| date = March 31, 2019
| access-date = March 31, 2019
| archive-date = August 4, 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200804113517/https://whittakerchambers.org/about/whittaker-chambers-award/
| url-status = live
}}</ref> [[Christopher Buckley (novelist)|Christopher Buckley]], author and son of William F. Buckley Jr., supported the Chambers family with a similar story about the William F. Buckley Jr. Award for Media Excellence: when Media Research Center awarded [[Sean Hannity]], Buckley objected, the center rescinded the award, and stopped making the award altogether.<ref name=WSJ-Award/>

===Proposed Whittaker Chambers monument (2020)===
In September 2020, two senators from Carroll County to the [[Maryland General Assembly]], [[Justin Ready]] and [[Michael Hough (politician)|Michael Hough]], announced their intention, reported in the ''[[Carroll County Times]]''<ref>{{cite news
| first1 = Bob
| last1 = Blubaugh
| title = State senators nominate Westminster resident Whittaker Chambers for federal honor
| newspaper = Carroll County Times
| publisher = Baltimore Sun
| url = https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/news/cc-chambers-memorial-proposed-20200904-nbymwwml65g2hlbcfyfxwvxtl4-story.html
| date = September 4, 2020
| access-date = September 19, 2020
| archive-date = September 4, 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200904152027/https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/news/cc-chambers-memorial-proposed-20200904-nbymwwml65g2hlbcfyfxwvxtl4-story.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref> to recommend a "Whittaker Chambers Memorial"<ref>{{cite web
| title = Senators Hough & Ready Urge Creation of Whittaker Chambers Memorial
| work = Ready for Maryland
| publisher = Justin Ready
| url = https://www.justinready.com/senators_hough_ready_urge_creation_of_whittaker_chambers_memorial_anti-communist_hero_and_carroll_countian
| date = September 3, 2020
| access-date = September 19, 2020
| archive-date = October 1, 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201001064238/https://www.justinready.com/senators_hough_ready_urge_creation_of_whittaker_chambers_memorial_anti-communist_hero_and_carroll_countian
| url-status = live
}}</ref> for a "[[National Garden of American Heroes]], following an [[Executive Order|executive order]] by [[Donald J. Trump]] to create an Interagency Task Force for Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes to establish that garden.<ref>{{cite web
| title = Executive Order on Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes
| url = https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-building-rebuilding-monuments-american-heroes/
| date = July 3, 2020
| via = [[NARA|National Archives]]
| work = [[whitehouse.gov]]
| access-date = September 19, 2020
| archive-date = January 26, 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210126200033/https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-building-rebuilding-monuments-american-heroes/
| url-status = live
}}</ref> Two members of the Whittaker Chambers family also wrote the ''Carroll County Times'' to oppose the senators' intention:<blockquote><small>Whittaker Chambers sought a simple life of farming the Pipe Creek Farm. He was a Quaker. His beliefs ran toward austerity and self-effacement. Quaker meeting houses stand unadorned, without monuments or statues. He would not have liked such fanfare.<br />The best way to remember our grandfather is to read his books. They are his memoir ''Witness'' (1952) and his later writings in ''Cold Friday'' (1964). Rather than a monument, he left testimony to read.<br />As President Ronald Reagan said, when posthumously presenting the Medal of Freedom to him in 1984, "The witness is gone; the testimony will stand."<ref>{{cite news
| first1 = Joseph
| last1 = Chambers
| first2 = David
| last2 = Chambers
| title = Family says no thanks to Whittaker Chambers monument
| newspaper = Carroll County Times
| publisher = Baltimore Sun
| url = https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/opinion/cc-op-letters-091720-20200917-udq6fd3vcnfrtccbpzjju5x2pq-story.html
| date = 17 September 2020
| access-date = 19 September 2020
| archive-date = November 7, 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201107032558/https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/opinion/cc-op-letters-091720-20200917-udq6fd3vcnfrtccbpzjju5x2pq-story.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| title = Whittaker Chambers Monument – No Thanks
| publisher = WhittakerChambers.org
| url = https://whittakerchambers.org/2020/09/28/whittaker-chambers-monument-no-thanks/
| date = 28 September 2020
| access-date = 28 September 2020
| archive-date = October 29, 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201029081233/https://whittakerchambers.org/2020/09/28/whittaker-chambers-monument-no-thanks/
| url-status = live
}}</ref> </small> </blockquote>