The Association recognizes a wide variety of distinguished historical work, which can take the form of an exceptional book in the field, distinguished teaching and mentoring in the classroom, and even on film. Since 1896 the Association has conferred over a thousand awards. The names, publications, and projects of those who received these awards are a catalogue of the best work produced by the historical profession.

Awards for Books

The Herbert Baxter Adams Prize in European history from ancient times through 1815

The George Louis Beer Prize in European international history since 1895

The Jerry Bentley Prize in world history

The Albert J. Beveridge Award in American history for a distinguished book on the history of the United States, Latin America, or Canada, from 1492 to the present

The Paul Birdsall Prize offered biennially for a major work in European military and strategic history since 1870

The James Henry Breasted Prize in any field of history prior to CE 1000

The Albert B. Corey Prize for the best book dealing with the history of Canadian-American relations or the history of both countries

The John H. Dunning Prize offered biennially in US history (next award year: 2015)

The John K. Fairbank Prize for East Asian history since 1800

The Morris D. Forkosch Prize in the field of British, British Imperial, or British Commonwealth history since 1485

The Leo Gershoy Award in the fields of 17th- and 18th-century western European history

The Clarence H. Haring Prize for a Latin American who has published the most outstanding book in Latin American history during the preceding five years (next award year: 2016)

The J. Franklin Jameson Award awarded biennially for outstanding achievement in the editing of historical primary sources (next award year: 2015)

The Friedrich Katz Prize in Latin American and Caribbean history

The Joan Kelly Memorial Prize for women’s history and/or feminist theory

The Martin A. Klein Prize to recognize the most distinguished work of scholarship on African history published in English

The Littleton-Griswold Prize in US law and society, broadly defined

The J. Russell Major Prize for the best work in English on any aspect of French history

The Helen & Howard R. Marraro Prize in Italian history

The George L. Mosse Prize in the intellectual and cultural history of Europe since 1500

The James A. Rawley Prize for historical writing that explores the integration of Atlantic worlds before the 20th century

The Premio Del Rey for a distinguished book in English in the field of early Spanish history

The John F. Richards Prize for the most distinguished work of scholarship on South Asian history published in English

The Wesley-Logan Prize in African diaspora history

Awards for Other Formats

The Raymond J. Cunningham Prize for the best article published in a history department journal written by an undergraduate student

The William and Edwyna Gilbert Award for the best article on teaching history

The John E. O’Connor Film Award to recognize outstanding interpretations of history through the medium of film or video (next award year: 2015)

The James Harvey Robinson Prize for the teaching aid that has made the most outstanding contribution to the teaching and learning of history in any field for public or educational purposes

The Roy Rosenzweig Prize for innovation in digital history

The Waldo G. Leland Prize offered every five years for the most outstanding reference tool in the field of history (next award year: 2016)

Awards for Scholarly and Professional Distinction

The Troyer Steele Anderson Prize for contributions to the advancement of the purposes of the Association

The Eugene Asher Award for distinguished postsecondary history teaching

The Award for Scholarly Distinction to senior historians for lifetime achievement

The Beveridge Family Teaching Prize for distinguished K–12 history teaching

Equity Awards for individuals and institutions that have achieved excellence in recruiting and retaining underrepresented racial and ethnic groups into the historic profession

The Herbert Feis Award for distinguished contributions to public history

The Honorary Foreign Member for a foreign scholar who is distinguished in his or her field and who has “notably aided the work of American historians”

The Nancy Lyman Roelker Mentorship Award for teachers of history who taught, guided, and inspired their students in a way that changed their lives

The Theodore Roosevelt-Woodrow Wilson Award to honor individuals outside the historical profession who have made a significant contribution to the study, teaching, and public understanding of history