Founded by Sidney Hook in 1941, the prize honors distinguished work of national importance in literature and the humanities. The prize was initially awarded to four scholars, but has since been expanded to honor a scholar in each of the three disciplines. Nominations are made by the Phi Beta Kappa national board of trustees, which makes the final selection. A prize of $12,500 is given annually.
The 2023 Sydney Peace Prize has been awarded to Nazanin Boniadi, an Iranian-born actress and human rights activist who is working to advance women’s rights in Iran. She will be formally presented with the award later this year at a special event at Sydney Town Hall.
In the same vein, the 2023 Neilma Short Story Prize was awarded to Annie Zhang for her story “Snowy River.” The judges were Patrick Lenton, Alice Bishop and Sara Saleh, who each chose a winning piece as well as two runners-up. Overland would like to thank all of the entrants for their inspiring submissions, as we received over 500 entries this year!
Sidney Hook Memorial Award
The Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy’s (SAA) Sidney Hook Memorial Award is given to individuals who demonstrate national distinction in scholarship and undergraduate teaching, and a commitment to the mission of liberal arts education. The award is named after a prominent Phi Beta Kappa philosopher who was also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa national advisory council in the 1940s.
Awarded by the SAA’s Research Division, the prize is a $10,000 cash award and a certificate. The fellowship is open to all current doctoral students who are members of the Association and who have received their degrees from an American university within the past five years.
The Sidney J. Levy Prize is offered annually by the Society for Consumer Culture Theory in memory of one of its founding fathers, and is given to the best article based on a CCT-oriented dissertation thesis published in an English-language journal. The winner will be notified in early December.
For decades, the Hillman Foundation has been committed to illuminating the great issues of our day-from the search for a basis for lasting peace to the struggle for housing, medical care and employment security for all people to the fight for civil liberties and democracy. The Foundation has sponsored a prize program that has honored contributors to the daily, periodical and labor press, and in recent years has included awards for photojournalism and web writing.
The Foundation is deeply saddened by the passing of legendary actor and humanitarian Sidney Poitier, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. We join with the international community in honoring his lifetime of service and hope that his legacy will inspire future generations to follow his example of compassion and courage. The Foundation’s mission will continue unabated as we seek to promote peace with justice, respect for human dignity and nonviolence. The Foundation is also dedicated to the preservation of the arts and literature, with a particular focus on African-American literary history and contemporary works of art.