THE PARKMAN AND NEVINS PRIZE COMPETITIONS WILL BEGIN ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS IN LATE SUMMER--WATCH THIS PAGE FOR DETAILS. THE NEXT BIENNIAL HISTORICAL FICTION COMPETITION WILL OPEN IN 2024 FOR ENTRIES PUBLISHED IN 2022 OR 2023.
The 67th Annual Francis Parkman Prize Honoring Literary Merit in the Writing of American History.
Purpose: To encourage and recognize the writing of history as literature.
Prize: The prize, which includes a check for two thousand dollars, will be awarded at the Society's annual meeting in New York in May.
Eligibility: The Parkman Prize is awarded annually to a non-fiction book, including biography, that is distinguished by its literary merit and that makes an important contribution to the history of what is now the United States. The author need not be a citizen or resident of the United States, and the book need not be published in the United States. Textbooks, edited collections, bibliographies, reference works, and juvenile books are not eligible. The copyright date of the book must be 2022; bound galleys or advanced reader copies are acceptable as submissions.
Submission: There is no fee for participation and no formal entry form is required, but submitters must include their contact information--name, address, phone number, and email--with each book or parcel, or send it to the Society separately by email. Publishers, agents, and authors may submit as many titles as they wish. A copy of each book must be sent by December 1, 2022 to each member of the jury.
Further information: a list of previous Parkman Prize winners can be found here.
Inquiries to the Society: by email.
The 17th Biennial Society of American Historians Prize for Historical Fiction
Purpose: To honor works of literary fiction on an American topic that significantly advance the historical imagination.
Prize: A certificate and two thousand dollars. The prize will be awarded at the Society's annual meeting in New York in May.
Eligibility: The SAH Prize for Historical Fiction will be awarded in odd-numbered years to a book of historical fiction on a subject involving what is now the United States that makes a significant contribution to historical understanding, portrays authentically the people and events of the historical past, and displays skills in narrative construction and prose style. The author need not be a citizen or resident of the United States, and the book need not be published in the United States. The copyright date of the book must be either 2021 or 2022; bound galleys or proof copies are acceptable as submissions.
Submission: There is no fee for participation and no entry form is required, but submitters must include their contact information--name, address, phone number, and email--with each book or parcel or send it separately by email. Publishers, agents, and authors may submit as many titles as they wish, but must send one copy of each book by December 1, 2022 to each member of the jury.
Further information: a list of previous winners can be found here.
The 63rd Annual Allan Nevins Dissertation Prize in American History
Purpose: To honor dissertations for literary distinction and for making a significant contribution to historical knowledge.
Prize: The prize, which includes a check for two thousand dollars and publication by one of our publisher members, will be awarded at the annual meeting of the society in New York in May.
Eligibility: The society defines history broadly and welcomes manuscripts on American arts, literature, and science, as well as biographical studies of Americans in any walk of life. The dissertation must have been successfully defended between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022. Dissertations already accepted for publication are not eligible for the Nevins prize.
Submission: Dissertations should be submitted by the chair of the department awarding the degree. Please submit a digital copy only, preferably in PDF form, and provide complete contact information for the author, including a telephone number and an email address that will be valid as of spring 2023. No formal nomination letter is required. No department may submit more than two dissertations.
Deadline: Dissertations should be submitted no later than December 31, 2022, to the Society by email.
Further information: A list of our publisher members and of previous Nevins Prize winners can be found here. Inquiries may be directed to the Society by email.