Joan Kelly Memorial Prize
The submission deadline has passed. Awardees are announced in the fall, and the next contest will begin in the spring.
Established in 1984 and named in memory of Joan Kelly (1928–82), this prize is awarded annually for the book in women’s history and/or feminist theory that best reflects the high intellectual and scholarly ideals exemplified by the life and work of Joan Kelly. The prize was established by the Coordinating Committee on Women in the Historical Profession and the Conference Group on Women’s History (now the Coordinating Council for Women in History), and is administered by the American Historical Association.
To be eligible for consideration, submissions shall be books in any chronological period, any geographical location, or in an area of feminist theory that incorporates a historical perspective. Books should demonstrate originality of research, creativity of insight, graceful stylistic presentation, analytical skills, and a recognition of the important role of sex and gender in the historical process. The inter-relationship between women and the historical process should be addressed. The current prize amount is $1,000. See the list of past recipients.
The general rules for submission are:
- Books with a copyright of 2021 are eligible for the 2022 award.
- Nomination submissions may be made by an author or by a publisher. Publishers may submit as many entries as they wish. Authors or publishers may submit the same book for multiple AHA prizes.
- Nominators must complete an online prize submission form for each book submitted.
- One copy of each entry must be sent to each committee member and clearly labeled “Kelly Prize Entry.” Print copies preferred unless otherwise indicated. If only e-copy is available, please contact review committee members beforehand to arrange submission format.
Please Note: Entries must be received by May 15, 2022, to be eligible for the 2022 competition. Entries will not be returned. Recipients will be announced on the AHA website in October 2022 and recognized during a ceremony at the January 2023 AHA annual meeting in Philadelphia.
For questions, please contact the Prize Administrator.
This year's submission deadline has passed.
The review committee contact information and prize submission form for the next competition will be posted by March 1 for submissions due May 15.
2021 Kelly Prize
Thavolia Glymph, Duke University
The Women’s Fight: The Civil War’s Battles for Home, Freedom, and Nation (Univ. of North Carolina Press)
Sophisticated and painstaking in its research and analysis, The Women’s Fight dramatically recasts the meaning, texture, and outcome of the American Civil War. In this wide-ranging study of women’s lives, labors, politics, and aspirations, Thavolia Glymph demonstrates how an intersectional methodology transforms our understandings of home, freedom, national belonging, and women’s relationships with one another. Glymph’s sweeping scope and inventive research, presented in gorgeous prose, are sure to make The Women’s Fight a touchstone in the histories of the 19th-century United States, women and gender, war, and American life.