Waldo G. Leland Prize
Next Award Year: 2026
The submission deadline has passed. Awardees are announced in the fall, and the next contest will begin in the spring.
This prize, established by the AHA Council in 1981, is offered every five years for the most outstanding reference tool in the field of history. It is named after Waldo G. Leland, a distinguished contributor to bibliographical guides, who served as secretary to the Association from 1909 to 1920.
“Reference tool” encompasses bibliographies, indexes, encyclopedias, and other scholarly apparatus. The award is honorific. See the list of past recipients.
The general rules for submission are:
- Books with an copyright between 2021 and 2025 will be eligible for the prize in 2026.
- 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 “Leland 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, 2026, to be eligible for the 2026 competition. Recipients will be announced on the AHA website in October 2026 and recognized during a ceremony at the January 2027 AHA annual meeting.
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.
2016 Leland Prize
Father Peter J. Powell, Foundation for the Preservation of American Indian Art and Culture
In Sun’s Likeness and Power: Cheyenne Accounts of Shield and Tipi Heraldry, 2 vols., by James Mooney (Univ. of Nebraska Press)
In Sun’s Likeness and Power reproduces and annotates, in two volumes, a unique set of documents that elucidate Cheyenne spirituality, culture, and history, conveying the complexity of indigenous traditions. Eloquent scholarly commentaries guide readers through the Cheyenne worldview, making the volumes a powerful resource for anthropologists, historians and students of indigenous life. In addition to the interpretive annotations, an excellent index and vivid images animate this stunning user-friendly resource.