Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence

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Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence
Ernest J. Gaines Award official logo.png
Awarded forrising African American fiction authors
Sponsored byBaton Rouge Area Foundation
LocationBaton Rouge
CountryUnited States
EligibilityBlack American fiction authors
Reward(s) US$15,000
First award2007
Currently held by Aaliyah Bilal
Website Official website

The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence is an annual national literary award designed to recognize rising African American fiction writers. First awarded in 2007, the prize is underwritten by donors of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation in honor of the literary heritage provided by author Ernest J. Gaines, with the winner receiving a cash award (US$ 15,000as of 2020) "to support and enable the writer to focus on writing." [1] It has been described as "the nation's biggest prize for African-American writers". [2]

Contents

Past winners

Ernest J. Gaines Award winners [3] [4]
YearAuthorTitle
2007 Olympia Vernon A Killing in This Town [5]
2008 Ravi Howard Like Trees, Walking [6]
2009 Jeffrey R. Allen Holding Pattern: Stories
2010 Victor LaValle Big Machine [7]
2011 Dinaw Mengestu How to Read the Air [8]
2012 Stephanie Powell Watts We Are Taking Only What We Need [9]
2013 Attica Locke The Cutting Season [10] [11]
2014 Mitchell S. Jackson The Residue Years [12]
2015 T. Geronimo Johnson Welcome to Braggsville [13]
2016 Crystal Wilkinson The Birds of Opulence [14]
2017 Ladee Hubbard The Talented Ribkins [15]
2018 Jamel Brinkley A Lucky Man [16]
2019 Bryan Washington Lot [17] [18] [19]
2020 Gabriel Bump Everywhere You Don't Belong [20] [21]
2021 Nathan Harris The Sweetness of Water [22]
2022 Jacinda Townsend Mother Country [23]
2023 Aaliyah Bilal Temple Folk [24] [25]

Panel of judges

References

  1. ↑ "About the Award". The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  2. ↑ Bass, Erin Z. (September 22, 2014). "A Lesson on Ernest Gaines". Deep South Magazine. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Winners". The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. Archived from the original on October 24, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence - Award Winning Books". African American Literature Book Club. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  5. ↑ Memmott, Carol (2007-02-14). "New voices: Ravi Howard - USATODAY.com". USA Today . Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  6. ↑ Gautier, Amina (February 7, 2016). "The Sunday Rumpus Interview: Ravi Howard". The Rumpus. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  7. ↑ Davis, Kristy. "O's 2011 Summer Reading List | Big Machine" Archived 2023-06-04 at the Wayback Machine , "Oprah.com", June 13, 2011.
  8. ↑ Hatley, James. "Making Gaines" Archived July 14, 2014, at the Wayback Machine , 225, Louisiana, May 22, 2012.
  9. ↑ Waddington, Chris (2015). "Nation's biggest prize for African-American writers goes to Stephanie Powell Watts". NOLA.com. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  10. ↑ Waddington, Chris. "Novelist Attica Locke wins biggest U.S. award for African-American writers". NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Louisiana. October 29, 2013. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Awards: Ernest J. Gaines". Shelf Awareness . 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
  12. ↑ Brasted, Chelsea (January 23, 2015). "Mitchell S. Jackson accepts Ernest J. Gaines Award for his debut, 'The Residue Years'". The Times-Picayune . Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Awards: PEN Literary Shortlists; Ernest J. Gaines Winner". Shelf Awareness . 2016-02-03. Archived from the original on 2023-12-25. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
  14. ↑ "Awards: Ernest J. Gaines for Literary Excellence". Shelf Awareness . 2016-11-16. Archived from the original on 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
  15. ↑ "Awards: Ernest J. Gaines Winner; Waterstones Book of the Year Shortlist". Shelf Awareness . 2017-11-10. Archived from the original on 2022-07-23. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
  16. ↑ Johnson, Chevel (January 23, 2019). "Jamel Brinkley wins Ernest J. Gaines Award recognizing African-American fiction writers". USA Today . Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  17. ↑ Johnson, Chevel (January 30, 2020). "Houston writer Bryan Washington to receive Gaines Award". AP News . Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Bryan Washington wins Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence". The Advocate . 2019-11-16. Archived from the original on 2022-12-01. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  19. ↑ "Awards: Goldsmiths, Ernest J. Gaines Winners". Shelf Awareness . 2019-11-14. Archived from the original on 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
  20. ↑ Johnson, Chevel (2020-12-21). "Gabriel Bump named 2020 winner of the Ernest Gaines Award". AP News . Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
  21. ↑ "Ernest Gaines literary award goes to Chicago native's debut novel 'Everywhere You Don't Belong'". The Advocate . 2020-11-18. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
  22. ↑ Smyth, Lois; Verma, Mukul (2021-11-15). "The Sweetness of Water Wins 2021 Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence". AALBC.com. Archived from the original on 2022-12-01. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  23. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2022-11-30). "Jacinda Townsend Wins the Ernest J. Gaines Award". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2022-11-30. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  24. ↑ Scaub, Michael (2024-05-23). "'Temple Folk' Wins Ernest J. Gaines Award". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2024-05-23. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
  25. ↑ "Awards: Dublin Literary, Ernest J. Gaines Winners". Shelf Awareness . 2024-05-23. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
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