Presented annually by the New York Times columnist David Brooks, Sidney Prize honors the year’s best long-form essays. Past winners include Hilton Als writing for The New Yorker and Ed Yong writing for The Atlantic, as well as writers in the upper echelons of national publications.
The Sidney Hillman Foundation aims to make a difference in the lives of people by supporting work that is courageous, creative and has impact. It is named in honour of philanthropist and activist Sidney Hillman (1881-1972) for his significant contributions to advancing equal rights and social reform in the US.
In addition to the annual Hillman Awards, the Foundation also recognises excellence in journalism by awarding the Sidney prize monthly for a piece of journalism published in the previous month. The winner receives a $500 honorarium and a certificate designed by New York artist Edward Sorel.
Each month, AJL’s editorial team nominates a single piece of journalism that appears in print or online, including those from major news organizations, for the Sidney Prize. The judges choose a winning submission for its originality and integrity, as well as its influence on public debate.
Submissions must be made using the submission system before midnight on the last day of each month. Submissions must be in English, and the author’s name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript. All entries are judged anonymously. The editors reserve the right to decline to award the prize if they feel that the submission is not of sufficient quality.
The prestigious Overland Sidney Prize is awarded to outstanding short fiction of up to 3000 words that explores the theme of ‘travel’. This year’s judges, Patrick Lenton, Alice Bishop and Sara Saleh, narrowed the field from more than 500 submissions to a shortlist of eight stories, which they will then select a winner and two runners-up from. The winners will be published in Overland.
In a time when state income tax bills are a serious concern, reporter Maya Srikrishnan teamed with data journalist Ashley Clarke to uncover a nationwide problem: how low-income taxpayer clinics struggle to collect money owed by residents. Their piece spanned years and multiple states, but their dedication paid off: their reporting sparked several bills to address the issue.
The winner of each year’s Sidney Prize is selected by a panel of distinguished historians from around the world, and is announced in early spring. The winner is able to use the title of “Sidney Prize Winner” on their resume and will be given a seal to put on copies of their work. The winner also has the option of a cash prize or a book grant from the University. Previous winners have used their prizes to support the research of their manuscripts, which many have later published. The list of prior winners can be viewed here.