American Book Award

American Book Award
Name	American Book Award
Awarded for	Literary achievement
Presenter	Before Columbus Foundation
Country	United States
Established	1978

American Book Award is an annual literary prize presented by the Before Columbus Foundation to honor outstanding achievement in American literature without categories or cash prizes. Founded in 1978, the award recognizes writers from diverse backgrounds and traditions, celebrating works that might be overlooked by mainstream prizes such as the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Awards. The prize has highlighted authors associated with movements, communities, and institutions across the United States, including those connected to Harlem Renaissance legacies, Chicano Movement literature, and Native American writing.

History

The award was created by the Before Columbus Foundation in response to perceived exclusions by established prizes like the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Awards and emerged during a period marked by debates around multicultural representation involving figures linked to National Endowment for the Arts, Writers Guild of America, and academic programs at institutions such as Columbia University and University of California, Berkeley. Early recipients included writers associated with the Black Arts Movement, the Chicano Movement, and feminist circles connected to publications like Ms. (magazine). Over time the prize has honored authors from connections to HarperCollins, Random House, and small presses including Milkweed Editions and Copper Canyon Press. The award's history intersects with events such as fundraisers at venues like The New School and panels held at conferences like the Modern Language Association annual meeting.

Criteria and Selection Process

The selection process is administered by the Before Columbus Foundation and relies on nominations from a wide network that includes literary organizations such as the Academy of American Poets, the PEN America chapters, university presses including Yale University Press and Oxford University Press (US), and independent bookstores like Powell's Books. Panels of writers, editors, and scholars with ties to institutions such as Rutgers University, Howard University, and Stanford University evaluate nominees. Eligibility emphasizes published works connected to American life, encompassing authors associated with publishing houses from Scribner to Graywolf Press. The process contrasts with juried awards like the National Book Critics Circle Award and the committee-driven Man Booker Prize.

Categories and Notable Winners

Although the award does not segment into fixed categories, it has recognized fiction, poetry, nonfiction, translation, and lifetime achievement linked to figures from movements such as the Beat Generation, the Harlem Renaissance, and contemporary immigrant literature associated with authors who have taught at Princeton University or University of Michigan. Notable winners have included writers connected with City Lights Publishers, activists from the American Indian Movement, poets affiliated with Poets & Writers, and novelists published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Recipients span from established figures who have appeared in anthologies alongside names from The New Yorker and The Atlantic to emerging authors whose work premiered in journals like Granta or Ploughshares.

Administration and Sponsorship

Administration rests with the Before Columbus Foundation board, composed of members with affiliations to cultural organizations including Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, and university departments at University of California, Los Angeles and Columbia University. Funding and sponsorship historically have involved collaborations with independent presses and literary councils, and benefit events have taken place at venues associated with City University of New York and cultural centers like Barnes & Noble stores and nonprofit spaces such as 92nd Street Y. The award operates independently of larger corporate sponsors tied to conglomerates like Bertelsmann or Penguin Random House to preserve its focus on diversity and inclusion.

Reception and Impact

The award has influenced careers of authors connected to Small Press Distribution, increased visibility for writers represented by agencies such as ICM Partners and Writers House, and affected academic curricula at institutions like New York University and University of Texas at Austin. Media coverage in outlets such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and NPR has amplified winners’ readership, and libraries including the New York Public Library and the Library of Congress have acquired honored works. The award's emphasis on multicultural representation has resonated within movements tied to Black Lives Matter, Indigenous rights organizations, and immigrant rights advocacy groups, shaping discussions at festivals like the Miami Book Fair and panels at the Brooklyn Book Festival.

Controversies and Criticisms

Critics have debated the award’s lack of monetary prize and its sometimes opaque nomination process, comparing it to prize structures like the MacArthur Fellowship and the National Humanities Medal. Some commentators associated with mainstream editorial boards at The New Republic and The Washington Post have questioned selection transparency and ideological balancing, while advocates tied to grassroots literary organizations argue the award corrects biases present in prizes run by institutions such as The New York Public Library and National Book Foundation. Occasional disputes have involved nominees linked to contentious public debates around works published by houses such as Simon & Schuster and academic freedom debates in settings like Yale University and University of California, Berkeley.

Category:American literary awards