CLEVELAND – [March 3, 2026] – The Cleveland Foundation announced 11 finalists for the 2026 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards (AWBA), marking 91 years of honoring literature that contributes to our understanding of race and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures.
- Death Does Not End at the Sea by Gbenga Adesina
- Born in Flames: The Business of Arson and the Remaking of the American City by Bench Ansfield
- The Hollow Half: A Memoir of Bodies and Borders by Sarah Aziza
- Joy Goddess: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance by A’Lelia Bundles
- Flashlight by Susan Choi
- Jailbreak of Sparrows by Martín Espada
- The Second Emancipation: Nkrumah, Pan-Africanism, and Global Blackness at High Tide by Howard W. French
- Guatemalan Rhapsody by Jared Lemus
- Becoming Ghost by Cathy Linh Che
- Make Your Way Home by Carrie R. Moore
- Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy
Download the 2026 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards Finalist Reading Checklist here!
The finalists were chosen by the AWBA jury, led by Pulitzer Prize winning author, former U.S. Poet Laureate, and 2021 Anisfield-Wolf nonfiction winner Natasha Trethewey. Trethewey is joined by a jury of prominent scholars and writers: esteemed AWBA-winning novelist Peter Ho Davies; bestselling AWBA-winning writer and scholar Charles King; AWBA-winning writer and American historian Tiya Miles; and critically acclaimed author Luis Alberto Urrea. The selection process reflects the award’s deep commitment to literary excellence and social relevance.
“These 11 titles represent bold innovation in the literary arts and the breadth of human diversity,” said Trethewey. “Through a mix of seasoned and debut writers, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards jury celebrates the courage, urgency, and prescience of each author as they write towards freedom.”
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards has advanced several strategic initiatives in the last year, including an historic prize increase, signaling an evolution from its place among the country’s most revered literary honors into a cultural force that actively shapes national discourse, advances enduring values, and influences public thought.
Last year’s decision to announce finalists for the award marked a meaningful departure from past practice, elevating more of these exceptional authors and bringing their work to a wider audience. In 2025, AWBA also tripled the cash prize to $30,000 in each of its four categories—fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and poetry—reflecting a deepened commitment to supporting authors whose work challenges injustice and expands our understanding of race, culture, and identity.
For the first time in prize history, the winners will be announced in New York City on April 15. The winners will also be honored at the upcoming annual Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards ceremony and awards weekend this fall in Cleveland.
“The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards are making monumental strides to invest in the authors of our times–these are authors whose literary works will fundamentally shape how we see and understand race and diversity for years to come,” said Kortney Morrow, director of the Awards. “We’ve tripled the cash prize to $30K each, built a literary festival, and are presenting a new canon of writers that are committed to rigorous historical excavation all in search of truth and freedom.”
Founded in 1935 by poet and philanthropist Edith Anisfield Wolf, AWBA remains the only national endowed juried prize recognizing books that contribute to our understanding of race and foster an appreciation of cultural diversity. Past winners include Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Martin Luther King Jr., Nadine Gordimer, Wole Soyinka, Toni Morrison, Isabel Wilkerson, and Colson Whitehead—writers whose work has shaped discourse on race and identity.
Anisfield Wolf was a quiet but fearless change maker who recognized the power of literature.
“Edith believed in the power of words to move our hearts and in its capacity to confront injustice, challenge systems, and expand our understanding of one another. That is why she permanently endowed this prize.” said The Cleveland Foundation CEO Lillian Kuri. “This year’s finalists have penned courageous texts in the pursuit of a more just world – and it’s our job to steward Edith’s legacy by pouring into their artistic process and amplifying their works to new audiences and new heights.”
For more information on the awards and past recipients, visit www.anisfield-wolf.org.
About the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognize books that have made important contributions to our understanding of race and human diversity. Established in 1935 by poet and philanthropist Edith Anisfield Wolf, the awards are the only national endowed juried prize for literature that explores race and celebrates diversity. The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards are administered by the Cleveland Foundation. For more information follow us on Facebook, X, Threads, and Instagram.
About the Cleveland Foundation
Established in 1914, the Cleveland Foundation is the world’s first community foundation – and one of the largest today. Through the generosity of donors, the foundation improves the lives of residents of Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties by building community endowment, addressing needs through grantmaking and providing leadership on vital issues. Our vision is a vibrant Northeast Ohio where no Clevelander is left behind. For more information, visit ClevelandFoundation.org and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.