Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence explained

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 ($15,000 as 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]

Past winners

Ernest J. Gaines Award winners[3] [4] !Year!Author!Title!
2007[5]
2008Like Trees, Walking
2009Holding Pattern: Stories
2010Big Machine[6]
2011How to Read the Air[7]
2012We Are Taking Only What We Need[8]
2013[9] [10]
2014[11]
2015Welcome to Braggsville[12]
2016[13]
2017[14]
2018[15]
2019Lot[16] [17] [18]
2020Everywhere You Don't Belong[19] [20]
2021[21]
2022Mother Country[22]
2023Temple Folk[23] [24]

Panel of judges

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About the Award. The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. March 17, 2021. February 16, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210216173929/https://ernestjgainesaward.org/literary-award-about. live.
  2. Web site: A Lesson on Ernest Gaines. Erin Z.. Bass. Deep South Magazine. September 22, 2014. March 17, 2021. September 20, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200920072145/https://deepsouthmag.com/2014/09/22/a-lesson-on-ernest-gaines/. live.
  3. Web site: Winners . March 17, 2019 . The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence . October 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181024050335/http://www.ernestjgainesaward.org/past-award-recipients/ . live .
  4. Web site: Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence - Award Winning Books . 2022-12-01 . African American Literature Book Club . en . 2024-05-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240526031425/https://aalbc.com/books/gaines-award-winning-books.php . live .
  5. Web site: Memmott . Carol . 2007-02-14 . New voices: Ravi Howard - USATODAY.com . 2022-12-01 . . 2024-05-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240526031426/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2007-02-14-ravi-howard_x.htm . live .
  6. Davis, Kristy. "O's 2011 Summer Reading List | Big Machine", "Oprah.com", June 13, 2011.
  7. Hatley, James. "Making Gaines", 225, Louisiana, May 22, 2012.
  8. Web site: Waddington . Chris . 2015 . Nation's biggest prize for African-American writers goes to Stephanie Powell Watts . dead . September 23, 2015 . NOLA.com . September 25, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150925070823/http://www.nola.com/books/index.ssf/2012/10/nations_biggest_prize_for_afri.html .
  9. Waddington, Chris. Web site: October 29, 2013 . Novelist Attica Locke wins biggest U.S. award for African-American writers . NOLA.com The Times-Picayune . Louisiana . June 4, 2014 . July 14, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714210145/http://www.nola.com/books/index.ssf/2013/10/novelist_attica_locke_wins_big.html . live .
  10. Web site: 2013-11-01 . Awards: Ernest J. Gaines . 2024-05-26 . Shelf Awareness.
  11. Web site: Brasted . Chelsea . January 23, 2015 . Mitchell S. Jackson accepts Ernest J. Gaines Award for his debut, 'The Residue Years' . dead . August 15, 2016 . . August 22, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160822095817/http://www.nola.com/living/baton-rouge/index.ssf/2015/01/mitchell_s_jackson_accepts_ern.html .
  12. Web site: 2016-02-03 . Awards: PEN Literary Shortlists; Ernest J. Gaines Winner . 2024-05-26 . . 2023-12-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231225232146/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=2682 . live .
  13. Web site: 2016-11-16 . Awards: Ernest J. Gaines for Literary Excellence . 2024-05-26 . . 2023-12-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231204173151/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=2882 . live .
  14. Web site: 2017-11-10 . Awards: Ernest J. Gaines Winner; Waterstones Book of the Year Shortlist . 2024-05-26 . . 2022-07-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220723234949/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3126 . live .
  15. News: Johnson . Chevel . January 23, 2019 . Jamel Brinkley wins Ernest J. Gaines Award recognizing African-American fiction writers . en . . 17 March 2019 . 4 June 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200604181800/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2019/01/23/jamel-brinkley-wins-gaines-award-african-american-fiction-writers/2662379002/ . live .
  16. News: Johnson . Chevel . January 30, 2020 . Houston writer Bryan Washington to receive Gaines Award . . February 26, 2020 . February 26, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200226235512/https://apnews.com/a32a455bd783aafcb4c3e9772c0707d3 . live .
  17. Web site: 2019-11-16 . Bryan Washington wins Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence . 2022-12-01 . . en . 2022-12-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221201145245/https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/article_e740cfcc-0572-11ea-a8f7-134c83297da5.html . live .
  18. Web site: 2019-11-14 . Awards: Goldsmiths, Ernest J. Gaines Winners . 2024-05-26 . . 2023-01-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230101215606/https://shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3621 . live .
  19. Web site: Johnson . Chevel . 2020-12-21 . Gabriel Bump named 2020 winner of the Ernest Gaines Award . 2024-05-26 . . en . 2024-05-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240526031425/https://apnews.com/general-news-1220c8c1a4842252b2039d3100526f01 . live .
  20. Web site: 2020-11-18 . Ernest Gaines literary award goes to Chicago native's debut novel 'Everywhere You Don't Belong' . 2024-05-26 . . en . 2024-05-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240526031426/https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/books/ernest-gaines-literary-award-goes-to-chicago-natives-debut-novel-everywhere-you-dont-belong/article_9231dc7a-29ab-11eb-b332-2be929b2df1e.html . live .
  21. Web site: Smyth . Lois . Verma . Mukul . 2021-11-15 . The Sweetness of Water Wins 2021 Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence . 2022-12-01 . AALBC.com . en-US . 2022-12-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221201145236/https://aalbc.com/tc/topic/7787-the-sweetness-of-water-wins-2021-ernest-j-gaines-award-for-literary-excellence/ . live .
  22. Web site: Schaub . Michael . 2022-11-30 . Jacinda Townsend Wins the Ernest J. Gaines Award . 2022-12-01 . . en . 2022-11-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221130181929/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/jacinda-townsend-wins-the-ernest-j-gaines-award/ . live .
  23. Web site: Scaub . Michael . 2024-05-23 . ‘Temple Folk’ Wins Ernest J. Gaines Award . 2024-05-26 . . en . 2024-05-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240523182355/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/temple-folk-wins-ernest-j-gaines-award/ . live .
  24. Web site: 2024-05-23 . Awards: Dublin Literary, Ernest J. Gaines Winners . 2024-05-26 . . 2024-05-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240526031452/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=4733 . live .