| 2009 | Theme Honoree | Franklin's Legacy: Achievements After Retirement P. Roy Vagelos, M.D. |
| 2008 | Theme Honoree | Franklin's Legacy: Celebrating Women in Science Dr. Ruth Patrick and Dr. Virginia Lee |
| 2007 | Theme Honoree | Franklin and Ethics Arthur Caplan, Ph.D. |
| 2006 | Theme Honoree | Still Celebrating: Franklin at 300! Claude-Anne Lopez, Franklin historian B. Franklin Reinauer II, Founder of Celebration! |
| 2005 | Theme Honoree | Franklin and Architecture: Building the City Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown |
| 2004 | Theme Honoree | Franklin and Freedom of the Press Tony Auth, political cartoonist |
| 2003 | Theme Honoree | Franklin and the Post Office John E. Potter, Postmaster General |
| 2002 | Theme Honoree | Franklin and Business John C. Bogle, Founder of Vanguard |
| 2001 | Theme Honoree | Franklin and Medicine Dr. Beverly Emanuel, Human Genome Project |
| 2000 | Theme Honoree | Franklin and Libraries Elliot L. Shelkrot, President, Free Library of Philadelphia |
| 1999 | Theme Honoree | Franklin and Communications John S. Hendricks, Founder of Discovery Channel |
| Earlier | Photographs from 1944, 1956, and 1961 | |