Farrow is to accept the award at a May 10 gala at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.
Mayor Michael Nutter said Friday that Farrow is being honored for her work to raise awareness of the plight of children in war-torn regions, and on behalf of refugees around the globe.
The annual award is named after Philadelphia-born contralto Marian Anderson, who in 1955 was the first black soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Previous winners include Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Gere.
