The John E. O’Connor Film Award seeks to recognize outstanding interpretations of history through the medium of film or video and may be given in each of two categories: Dramatic Feature and Documentary.
The award is honorific. Award winners will be screened at the AHA’s annual meeting, if appropriate permissions can be obtained. One person associated with each winning film will be invited to host the screening.
Criteria for Assessment
- Stimulation of Interest in History: The production should arouse interest in the past and encourage viewers to ask questions about historical interpretations.
- Imaginative Use of the Media: The production should provide a unique perspective on the past through compelling use of aural and visual techniques and narrative structure. Successful nominees may take a wide variety of approaches to the past, including innovative presentational approaches beyond the traditional linear narrative.
- Effective Presentation of Historical Subject: The production should communicate its subject in ways that engage and enlighten viewers and encourage them to seek additional insights through reading and other media. It should be informed by trends in recent historical scholarship and make a contribution, in its own right, to the public’s understanding of and appreciation for history.
Eligibility Requirements
- Dramatic feature and documentary films and videos (including web-based) will be considered for the award.
- Films or videos must be in English or have English-language subtitles or dubbing.
- Films or videos must have been copyrighted or first screened or broadcast in 2024 to be eligible for the 2025 award.
- Films and videos should be no longer than feature length. If the nomination is for a series, then one episode only shall be nominated and considered by the prize committee. If that episode is determined to win the prize in either Documentary or Dramatic Feature categories, then the prize will be awarded to that episode only. The series as a whole to which the episode belongs shall be acknowledged in the award announcement.
Application Process
Log into your MY AHA account at www.historians.org/myaha and click “Available Application Forms” in the AHA Awards, Grants, and Jobs section. If you don’t have an account, create one for free at www.historians.org/createaccount.
- Fill in the application form, which includes
- the nominee’s contact information
- the title of the nominated film
- the category, Documentary or Dramatic Feature
- the names of the producer(s), director(s), and production company
- any instructions for accessing the film in a free and universally accessible online streaming format. If a streaming option is unavailable, please contact awards@historians.org for a list of review committee addresses to mail a DVD.
- Supporting documents and letters of recommendation are NOT required.
The committee may seek nominations or receive nominations from filmmakers, film critics, and the general public. The AHA will also solicit nominations through discussion on the AHA Member Forum.
The review committee will only consider a film for which a screening copy can be obtained free of charge.
Please Note: The competition will open in mid-March. Entries must be received by May 15, 2025, to be eligible for the 2025 competition. Entries will not be returned. Recipients will be announced on the AHA website in October 2025 and recognized during a ceremony at the January 2026 AHA annual meeting in Chicago.
For questions, please contact the Prize Administrator.
John E. O’Connor
In recognition of his exceptional role as a pioneer in both teaching and research regarding film and history, the American Historical Association has established this award in honor of John E. O’Connor, New Jersey Institute of Technology. O'Connor is professor emeritus at New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University.
Past Recipients
Current Recipient
Documentary: The Lady Bird Diaries
Dawn Porter, director; Kim Reynolds, producer (Trilogy Films)
Presidential spouse Lady Bird Johnson’s influence on public life and policy issues in the turbulent 1960s is revealed in Dawn Porter’s fascinating documentary. Drawing from Julia Sweig’s research into 120 hours of extraordinary audio journals taped by the First Lady to record the Johnsons’ years in the White House, Porter uncovers Lady Bird’s passion to protect the environment, her tart observations on the Washington scene, and her thoughtful insights as LBJ’s closest adviser.