The Spirit of America Award was presented by President Reagan and Governor Deukmejian from 1987-1992, to more than 30 celebrated Americans and foreign leaders.

It was first conceived and produced by Peter Paul as President of the California Bicentennial Foundation for the Constitution in 1987 to focus attention on the unique American success stories that personify the vitality of the rights and freedoms under the U.S. Constitution .

The award was first presented at the Governor's Constitution Ball, September 17, 1987, at the nation's only exact replica of Independence Hall, located in Buena Park, California. The first recipients included: Apollo XI Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Olympian Rafer Johnson, Althea Irvine Clark, George Argyros. Paul produced four Spirit of America awards Balls and Galas and numerous special events presenting awards to celebrated Americans and icons including Bob Hope, Jimmy Stewart, Muhammad Ali, Jaime Escalante, Richard O. Anderson, Helen Hayes, Boris Yeltsin, Lech Walesa, Gene Autry and Lew Wasserman.

After the conclusion of the three year Bicentennial of the Consitution and Bill of Rights, the award was adopted by the American Spirit Foundation and was awarded through 1993 at special events produced by Peter Paul

Peter Paul with his Fundraising Chair and Pres. of Federal Home Loan Bank, Jim Cirona and Judge Bork at Award Lunch Paul Produced
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Letter to Peter Paul as President of California Bicentennial Foundation from James Cirona, President of the Federal Home Loan Bank who served as a Director and Fund Raising Co-Chairman of the Foundation, commending Paul's leadership in the Bicentennial celebration.

Peter Paul with California Bicentennial Commission Chairwoman Jane Crosby exhibiting the cover of GTE phone directories that displayed the commemorative image created by computer, and the Foundation's logo, printed on 28 million telephone directories throughout California in 1988, with an essay on the Constitution in the back cover, all packaged by Peter Paul as President of the California Bicentennial Foundation that funded the Commission. 

Peter Paul as President of California Bicentennial Foundation for the US Constitution and Bill of Rights, with the Co-Chairmen of the Board of the Foundation (enlisted by Paul) Bonita Granville Wrather, Chairman of the Wrather Corp and Ross Blakely, Chairman of Coast Savings and Loan

 

Peter Paul and the Reagans at the Reagan Welcome Home Dinner Paul Produced in Beverly Hills on January 4, 1989. Reagan's support of Paul's projects, and the support of Reagan's Kitchen Cabinet in California, reestablished Paul as a mover in the Entertainment Industry
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Paul Co-Produced the California Salute to President and Mrs Reagan
Welcoming Home the First Family to California

Paul's Welcome Home Message for Reagan
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Peter Paul and Nancy Reagan in Photo Included in teh Reagan Tribute Book Welcoming them Back to Los Angeles
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Peter Paul reunited with Richard Nixon in 1992 after fifteen years. Paul was a lawyer for Nixon's best friend, Bebe Reboso, in Miami, and spent time with Nixon when he was on Key Biscayne after resigning the presidency.

President Lech Walesa confers with Paul at a reception Paul produced as President of American Friends of Lech Walesa during Walesa's first official visit to the US as the newly elected President of Poland, 1991.

Entertainment Industry supporters of Lech Walesa organized by Paul for Reception include Warner Pres. Mark Canton, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, Cindy Crawford, Richard Gere, Stan Lee and Peter Paul

President Jimmy Carter with Paul, who exposed Carter's campaign manager Bert Lance as a partner with Fidel Castro in money laundering and assisting Cuban Communist operatives in the US.

President Jerry Ford worked with Paul in support of his efforts to make California the leading state in the three year Bicentennial of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights

1988 Rose Parade Communicating Liberty Float produced by Peter Paul through the California Bicentennial Foundation. Paul selected three icons of the American Experience- Muhammad Ali, Buzz Aldrin and Mickey Mouse- based in California to announce to half a billion people the three year commemoration of the US Constitution Bicentennial, chaired by Chief Justice Warren Burger and led in California by Peter Paul as President of the Bicentennial Foundation.

Paul developed a unique relationship with the Disney Company from 1987-200. He convinced them to create and donate, for the first time in Disney history, a special character that appealed to young people in commemorating the Constitution. When Paul asserted a creative control over the design of the character- Bisontennial Ben, in conflict with Disney's chief creative director, he used political influence of the Governor to override Disney's creative control, yielding a bear like figure in lieu of a mouse like figure,

After Paul arranged for the costumend character to be "born" at Disneyland, Paul convinced the President of the Disney Parks to pay $100,000 to Paul's foundation to allow Mickey Mouse to ride on the Rose Parade Float Paul was producing for the 1988 Rose Parade. It was the first time in the history of the Disney company that it paid anyonbe anything to include Mickey Mouse in a major event and broadcast.

Paul with Chief Justice Burger Appointed by Reagan to Chair National Bicentennial Commission
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Chief Justice Burger Commends Paul's projects for the Bicentennial
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Bob Hope Thanks Paul for The Memories After Dedication of Monument in His Honor
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Paul Dedicates Constitution Monument in Hollywood in Honor of Bob Hope (seated behind Paul) with Mascot Paul Obtained from Disney
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Paul Discussing American Spirit Foundation Business with President Reagan
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Paul with Constitution Foundation "Angel" Glendale Federal Chair Ray Edwards and Hewlitt Packard Founder, David Packard Behind Bust of Thos Jefferson
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Paul Explains His Constitution Bicentennial Campaign to Calif Gov Deukmejian With Paul's Spokesperson for the Campaign, Astronaut Buzz Aldrin
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Paul Presents First Set of Official Constitution Bronze Plaques to Stand and Deliver Math Teacher Jaime Escalante's High School in Los Angeles
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Reagan Dedicates Paul Constitution Plaque Campaign for American Spirit Foundation
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President Bush Supports Constitution Plaque Campaign
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Paul with Reagan Boss Lew Wasserman - the Last Hollywood Studio Mogul Who Launched Reagan's Political Career
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Paul with Nancy Reagan and Paul's Mother
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4th Spirit of America Awards Gala Created and Produced by Paul
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Paul and Guests at His 4th Spirit of America Awards Gala Celebrating Helen Hayes' 90th Birthday
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Paul discusses the speech he prepared for President reagan with Reagan and honoree Helen Hayes before the Gala

Paul Produced Photo Exhibition for Charlton Heston's Wife Lydia at Gallery He Created for Tony Curtis
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Official Presidential Photo Signed for Paul
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Paul and Reagan in Reagan's Post White House Office
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Peter Paul's Galerie Tatou for Tony Curtis was an art gallery that looked like the living room of a Hollywood movie star. It was a venue that was used by paul for various Hollywood events while Paul was managing Curtis and packaging his autobiography 1991-1992

Paul,Arranged for Reagans to Host Opening Reception for Heston Exhibit at Paul's Gallery
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the Reagans, Hestons and Tony Curtis at Paul's Gallery Opening for Lydia Hestons' Photographs
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Paul Became Close Friends With Arch Conservative Hollywood Icon Charlton Heston
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Paul's Earliest Supporters in Hollywood Introduced to Paul Through Reagan
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Paul Next to Reagan "Kitchen Cabinet" supporter and Industrialist Ernest Hahn
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