After a hiatus during the First World War Nobel Peace Prize nominations were again called for in 1920. Letters of support for Woodrow Wilson poured in from nominating committees all over the world for the founder of the League of Nations. In December 1920, Woodrow Wilson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the year 1919. Unable to travel to Christiania, Norway to receive the prize, Wilson cabled his remarks to the American Minister to Norway. They read in part, carefully noting that his work was yet unfinished:

May I not take this occasion to express my respect for the far-sighted wisdom of the founder in arranging for a continuing system of awards? If there were but one such prize, or if this were to be the last, I could not, of course, accept it, for mankind has not yet been rid of the unspeakable horror of war.

I am convinced that our generation has, despite its wounds, made notable progress, but it is the better part of wisdom to consider our work as only begun. It will be a continuing labor. In the definite course of the years before us there will be abundant opportunity for others to distinguish themselves in the crusade against hate and fear of war.

President Obama is now the fourth US President to be awarded the Noble Peace Prize, the third while still in office. President Theodore Roosevelt was awarded the Prize in 1906, for the 1905 peace treaty between Russia and Japan. President Jimmy Carter was awarded the Noble Peace Prize in 2002 for his post-presidential work in promoting human rights around the world.