Award for Scholarly Distinction
In 1984 the AHA Council established the American Historical Association Award for Scholarly Distinction to honor senior historians in the United States. Previous awards have gone to 77 eminent scholars.
AHA members are now invited to submit nominations. According to the selection criteria, recipients must be senior historians of the highest distinction who have spent the bulk of their professional careers in the United States. Generally, they must also be of emeritus rank, if from academic life, or equivalent standing otherwise. Under normal circumstances the award is not intended to go to former presidents of the Association; rather, the intent is to honor persons not otherwise recognized by the profession to an extent commensurate with their contributions.
The Committee on Honorary Foreign Members and Awards for Scholarly Distinction will serve as the jury and will recommend up to three individuals for approval at the Council's spring meeting. The Committee consists of the president, president-elect, and the immediate past president. The honoree(s) will be announced at the Association’s annual meeting.
The annual deadline for receiving nominations is April 1.
A complete nomination should include (1) a letter of nomination that contains specific details addressing the criteria listed above and (2) a two- to three-page CV of the nominee with a summary of major publications and career highlights. Additional letters of support can also be submitted, provided the entire package does not exceed 10 pages in length. Nomination materials should be sent electronically to awards@historians.org, and include "Award for Scholarly Distinction: [Nominee's Name]" in the subject line.
2015 Awards for Scholarly Distinction
Ira Berlin, Univ. of Maryland, College Park
Ira Berlin’s scholarship extends from the 15th to the 21st century; his influence on African American social history as broad and deep as any living scholar’s. Berlin’s influence crosses genre as readily as it crosses time and space. Berlin’s recent publications reveal a tireless pursuit of meaning by an accessible writer with an immensely fertile mind.
Asuncion Lavrin, Arizona State Univ.
Asuncion Lavrin has become a benchmark figure in Latin American history and feminist historiography. Publishing in English and Spanish, Lavrin has transnational influence. Her focus has since ranged from masculinity and the priesthood to labor and the left in Chile and Argentina, and Lavrin has served on eight editorial boards as well as editing the Oxford Encyclopedia of Women’s History.