Founded in honor of a 19th-century Southern poet, the prize celebrates the best writing about the American South. Each year the prize is awarded to one essay in print and online. This year the competition was fierce, and it was very difficult for the judges to pick a winner. However, the winner is Ron Rash ’96, a professor at Western Carolina University who has contributed a body of work that is both deep and wide-ranging. His latest book, “American Gospel,” explores the roots of racism in the United States, and his writing about race has made him a force to be reckoned with in the world of literature.
The New York Times columnist David Brooks annually gives Sidney awards to highlight the year’s best long-form essays. This year, many of his selections probed the intersection between science and the humanities. In one, Steven Pinker and Leon Wieseltier went toe-to-toe in the New Republic over the proper place of science in modern thought.
Another essay that won a Sidney, by Helen Andrews in First Things, nailed the corrosive nature of online viciousness. When Andrews appeared on a panel on conservatism with her ex-boyfriend, Todd Seavey, the audience was stunned to see that he spent more time ranting about what a cruel person she was than actually talking about the subject of the panel.
Other winners included an article by Hilton Als in The New Yorker about the resurgence of racism in America, and a series by Aurora Almendral for Type Investigations and Quartz about the international bidding war for healthcare workers that has led to the exploitation of migrant nurses and left poorer health systems struggling to cope. The foundation also announced its 2024 SEIU Award for Reporting on Racial and Economic Justice, which was given to a series by Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times.
The foundation has been in controversy over its politics and funding, especially since its founding in 1946. Originally, it was a labor organization founded by former Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America union president Sidney Hillman. Today, the Hillman Foundation is a left-of-center organization that annually awards monetary prizes for journalism and public service. Its leadership includes Workers United and SEIU president emeritus Bruce Raynor, as well as left-leaning celebrity Danny Glover.
The Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize, now in its 2023 edition, invites short fiction about travel or the idea of travel. The winner receives $5000 and two runners-up receive $750 each. Overland will publish the winning story in its autumn 2024 issue, and the runners-up stories will appear online. For more information, visit the Sidney Prize website. The submission deadline is the last day of each month. Submissions can be for your own work or for someone else’s. The winners will be announced on the second Wednesday of each month. Please read the full guidelines here. Good luck! The judging will take into account the quality of the writing, as well as how original and insightful it is.