Thomas Paine, Bob Dylan, and the NECLC (National Emergency Civil Liberties Committee).

The National Emergency Civil Liberties Committee (NECLC), founded in 1951 and known for many years simply as the Emergency Civil Liberties Committee (ECLC), annually held a Bill of Rights Dinner which gathered together members and friends of the organization and provided a setting for the presentation of the group's Tom Paine Award, given once yearly since 1958 in recognition of distinguished service in the fight for civil liberty. The recipient of the 1963 award was singer/songwriter Bob Dylan who accepted the award on December 13 at the Dinner in New York, which also featured noted author James Baldwin.

Full story here:

http://www.corliss-lamont.org/dylan.htm

[This fascinating piece of Paine and Dylan lore was spotted on one of the several Facebook pages entitled "Thomas Paine" here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thomas-Paine/31989341581