The Center for History and Culture of Southeast Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast at Lamar University requests submissions for its annual Summerlee Book Prize. The Center awards two $1000 prizes in nonfiction and creative categories for the best book-length publications that significantly contribute to our understanding of Southeast Texas and the greater Gulf regions. The Center encourages submissions that focus on our core region or position it within broader national, hemispheric, or global contexts.
The committee will consider books published and copyrighted between 2024 and 2025 not previously submitted to the Summerlee Book Prize. Self-published or unpublished manuscripts are not eligible. Publishers and authors may nominate their work by sending three copies by March 15, 2025, to:
Jimmy L. Bryan Jr., Director
The Center for History and Culture
Lamar University
Box 10048
Beaumont, Tx 77710
Please designate a category—nonfiction or creative—for the submission.
The nonfiction category may include but is not limited to history, journalism, environmental studies, literary and art history, material culture, social science, archaeology.
The creative category may include but is not limited to novels, poetry, short story collections, graphic novels.
Separate panels of three judges will select the award winners. The judges may withhold awards in one or both categories.
The Center will announce award winners for the nonfiction and creative writing categories in April 2025.
For more information including past winners, follow the link provided or contact the director.