The American Historical Association offers the Morris D. Forkosch Prize annually in recognition of the best book in English in the field of British, British imperial, or British Commonwealth history since 1485. Submission of books relating to the shared common law heritage of the English-speaking world are particularly encouraged in memory of the late Professor Forkosch’s contributions to the field of legal studies and legal history.
The current prize amount is $1,000.
The general rules for submission are:
- Books with a copyright of 2025 will be eligible for the 2026 competition.
- Nomination submissions may be made by an author or by a publisher. Publishers may submit as many entries as they wish. Authors or publishers may submit the same book for multiple AHA prizes.
- Nominators must complete an online prize submission form for each book submitted. Once you fill out the form you will receive an email with the committee’s contact information.
- One copy of each entry must be sent to each committee member and clearly marked “Forkosch Award Entry.” Print copies preferred unless otherwise indicated. If only e-copy is available, please contact review committee members beforehand to arrange submission format.
Please Note: The competition will open in mid-March 2026. Entries must be received by May 15, 2026, to be eligible for the 2026 competition. Entries will not be returned. Recipients will be announced on the AHA website in October 2026 and recognized during a ceremony at the January 2027 AHA annual meeting in New Orleans.
For questions, please contact the Prize Administrator.
Morris D. Forkosch
Morris Forkosch (1908–1989) taught jurisprudence at Brooklyn Law School from 1949 to 1972, and was named professor emeritus upon his retirement.
Past Recipients
Current Recipient
Charmian Mansell, University of Sheffield
Female Servants in Early Modern England (Oxford Univ. Press)
Charmian Mansell elegantly and clearly brings fresh sources, questions, and answers to one of the most important institutions in early modern British history. She follows servants from the household to the economic and social centers of their communities. The result is a humane and systematic portrait of work and life in early modern England that finds a less confrontational notion of agency, a less rigid understanding of household patriarchy, and a less disruptive transition from service to day labor in the 18th century.