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.
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.
2021 Awards for Scholarly Distinction
Darlene Clark Hine, Michigan State University and Northwestern University
Darlene Clark Hine, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor of History at Michigan State University and Board of Trustees Emeritus Professor of African American Studies and History at Northwestern University, is a distinguished scholar of African American and women’s history. Her wide-ranging work in these fields has been transformational. Of special note are the many ways that she has encouraged the development of African American history, introduced audiences outside the academy to the field, and supported younger scholars. Clark Hine has received many honors for her scholarship and for her leadership in the field of African American history.
Teofilo Ruiz, University of California, Los Angeles
Teofilo Ruiz is Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Los Angeles. Ruiz’s career trajectory has been nothing short of extraordinary. His research interests stretch across a range of innovative topics, including terror, festivals, food, clothing, and poverty. In addition to his pathbreaking research and writing, Ruiz is a legendary teacher. Former undergraduate students hail his lectures for their breadth, passion, and wit. His ability to convey a sense of wonder about the beauty and vulgarity of history inspired thousands of students over the course of his career. Former graduate students and colleagues laud his conviviality, his self-sacrifice, and his efforts in building scholarly communities.
Peter N. Stearns, George Mason University
Peter N. Stearns is University Professor of history and provost emeritus at George Mason University. To say that Stearns’s scholarly production is prodigious vastly understates the number and range of his publications; he has written over 100 books and innumerable articles. Besides his scholarly contributions, he has been repeatedly recognized for superior teaching. Stearns’s interests in European social history and the history of emotions have expanded over the decades to include an astonishing array of scholarly pursuits and areas of expertise. His reputation is truly international in scope, and he has been honored for those many accomplishments by numerous foreign universities. Often underappreciated in an assessment of scholarship is what a person has done to promote the careers and scholarship of others; in this regard, he has few equals.