CLEVELAND — Four groundbreaking works have been named winners of the 2025 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, the nation’s only endowed juried prize dedicated to literature that deepens our understanding of race and diversity.
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards jury, chaired by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey, selected this year’s distinguished group of winners:
- Fiction: Colored Television by Danzy Senna
- Nonfiction: The United States Governed By Six Hundred Thousand Despots: A True Story of Slavery; A Rediscovered Narrative, with a Full Biography by John Swanson Jacobs, edited by Jonathan D. S. Schroeder
- Memoir: Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls
- Poetry: Yard Show by Janice N. Harrington
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa will also receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his profound impact on American literature. Known for his lyrical explorations of war, memory, and race, Komunyakaa has shaped contemporary poetry with a voice that is both unflinching and deeply evocative.
Founded in 1935 by poet and philanthropist Edith Anisfield Wolf, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards remain a critical force in the literary world. Past winners include Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Isabel Wilkerson, Jesmyn Ward, and Colson Whitehead — writers whose work has shaped discourse on race and identity in America.
Anisfield Wolf, who died in 1963, asked the Cleveland Foundation in a bequest to sustain her passion and vision for the awards for the “purpose of stimulating the writing of more and better books upon the general subject of race relations.” The Cleveland Foundation continues to steward the awards today.
“For 90 years, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards have championed fearless, groundbreaking literature that challenges the status quo, ignites dialogue, and shapes a more just and inclusive world,” said Lillian Kuri, president and CEO of the Cleveland Foundation. “This year’s winners unearth buried histories, redefine cultural narratives, and demand our attention — at a moment when these voices are more vital than ever.”
A Landmark Win for the Graphic Memoir Genre
For the first time in its 90-year history, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards have honored a graphic memoir: Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls.
Through stunning visuals and powerful storytelling, Hulls unearths her family’s multigenerational journey from China to America, confronting trauma, migration, and resilience in a format that redefines the boundaries of memoir.
A Prize with National and Global Impact
Now in its 90th year, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards continue to elevate authors whose work ignites national and global conversations on identity, history, and justice.
“This year’s winners add new dimensions to the Anisfield-Wolf legacy,” said jury chair Trethewey. “From a rediscovered first-person slave narrative to a searing portrait of modern racial identity, these books demand to be read and discussed.”
Trethewey is joined on the jury by 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 and National Book Awards finalist Deesha Philyaw.
The 2025 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards ceremony will take place September 19 in Cleveland — honoring the winners in a celebration of literature’s power to confront the past and shape the future. This event will be part of multi-week celebration of books, literature and writing in Cleveland with other local literary partners. Additional details will be announced soon.
CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Foundation announced 10 finalists for the 2025 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards (AWBA), marking 90 years of honoring literature that confronts racism and explores diversity.
The announcement of finalists marks an expansion from past practice. In previous years, only the winning books have been revealed for categories that include fiction, nonfiction, poetry and lifetime achievement.
“Every year, the hardest part of our job as judges is choosing the winners from a finalist pool of incredible and compelling books,” says Natasha Trethewey, Pulitzer-Prize winning author and chair of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards jury, which considered more than 300 submissions this year. “The decision to share the finalists allows us to lift up the important works of more of these talented authors to a broader audience.”
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 racism and foster an appreciation of cultural diversity.
Anisfield Wolf, who died in 1963, asked the Cleveland Foundation in a bequest to sustain her passion and vision for the awards for the “purpose of stimulating the writing of more and better books upon the general subject of race relations.” The Cleveland Foundation continues to steward the awards today.
This year’s extraordinary finalists span fiction, nonfiction, poetry and memoir/autobiography, reflecting the richness and complexity of the global conversation on identity, history and justice:
- Janice Harrington, Yard Show
- Tessa Hulls, Feeding Ghosts
- John Swanson Jacobs/edited by Jonathan D. S. Schroeder, The United States Governed by Six Hundred Thousand Despots: A True Story of Slavery; A Rediscovered Narrative, with a Full Biography
- Sarah Lewis, The Unseen Truth: When Race Changed Sight in America
- Susan Muaddi Darraj, Behind You Is the Sea
- Emily Raboteau, Lessons for Survival: Mothering Against “the Apocalypse”
- Kiley Reid, Come and Get It
- Danzy Senna, Colored Television
- Adam Shatz, The Rebel’s Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Frantz Fanon
- Danez Smith, Bluff
“Art is such a powerful tool—it inspires us, challenges us and leads us to ask the critical questions that drive society in the direction of its best self,” says Lillian Kuri, president and CEO of the Cleveland Foundation. “For 90 years, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards have amplified voices in pursuit of a more just and inclusive world, not only in literature but in life.”
The finalist list of 10 titles was chosen by the 2025 AWBA jury. Trethewey is joined by esteemed AWBA-winning novelist Peter Ho Davies; bestselling AWBA-winning writer and scholar Charles King; AWBA-winning writer and American historian Tiya Miles; and National Book Award finalist Deesha Philyaw. The selection process reflects the award’s deep commitment to literary excellence and social relevance.
“This year’s finalists embody the Anisfield-Wolf legacy of fearless writing that compels us to reckon with history and reimagine the future,” says Trethewey. “These books are urgent, profound and necessary.”
The winners will be announced on April 10 at the William N. Skirball Writers Center Stage Series presented by the Cuyahoga County Public Library Foundation and its academic partner Case Western Reserve University in the Maltz Performing Arts Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Tommy Orange, former AWBA winner for his 2018 debut novel, There There, will announce the winners following a conversation with fellow writer Kaveh Akbar. Live stream (and limited in-person) tickets are available at writerscenterstage.org.
The winners will also be honored at the upcoming annual Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards ceremony this fall in Cleveland.
For more information on the awards and past recipients, visit www.anisfield-wolf.org.
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About the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognize books that have made important contributions to our understanding of racism 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 confronts racism and celebrates diversity. The Anisfield-Wolf Book awards are administered by the Cleveland Foundation.
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 Facebook, X and Instagram.
CLEVELAND – Cleveland Book Week is underway, with a full schedule of far-ranging programs that are nearly all free to the community.
Cleveland Book Week is a series of literary events presented by the Cleveland Foundation and community partners, including Literary Cleveland, Cleveland Public Library, and the Great Lakes African American Writers Conference.
The year’s events are anchored by the 89th annual Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards – the only national juried prize for literature that confronts racism and celebrates human diversity – featuring 2024 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards (AWBA) winners and renowned authors Ned Blackhawk, Teju Cole, Monica Youn and Maxine Hong Kingston.
NEW this year, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards will host a community symposium bringing together AWBA winning authors and jurors at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28 at The City Club of Cleveland. When Artists Go to Work: The 2024 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards Author Symposium will spotlight these powerful literary voices ` and offer unique insights and perspectives into their work and the legacy of the awards.
A full schedule of events with links to additional information is included below.
Schedule of Events – Cleveland Book Week
Monday through Wednesday, September 16-18
Literary Cleveland Inkubator Virtual Events
Tuesday, September 17
2024 AWBA Book Discussion (Ohio Center for the Book in partnership with Ursuline College and Case Western Reserve University)
Friday and Saturday, September 20-21
Literary Cleveland Inkubator Writing Conference
Sunday, September 22
Books at the Market: Book Giveaway at the West Side Market
Friday, September 27
Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards City Club ForumThe Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History
A Conversation with Ned Blackhawk
Friday, September 27
Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards Ceremony
Featuring 2024 AWBA winning authors:
- Ned Blackhawk, “The Rediscovery of America,” Nonfiction
- Teju Cole, “Tremor,” Fiction
- Monica Youn, “From From,” Poetry
- Maxine Hong Kingston, Lifetime Achievement
*Media interested in attending the ceremony: please RSVP to abaker@clevefdn.org.
Saturday, September 28
When Artists Go to Work: The 2024 AWBA Author SymposiumTuesday, October 1
#CLEreads Young Adult Book Festival
Saturday and Sunday, October 5-6
Great Lakes African American Writers Conference (GLAAWC)
Book prize welcomes new jurors and new category; sets October 16 deadline for submissions
Cleveland, OH – The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards – the only juried American book awards focused on works that address racism and diversity – have announced several updates for the 2025 award year, including the introduction of three new jurors and a new memoir and autobiography category.
The book awards, administered by the Cleveland Foundation, were established in 1935 by poet and philanthropist Edith Anisfield Wolf to reflect her family’s passion for issues of social justice. The recipients of the 2024 awards were announced in March.
Welcoming new jurors:
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards have announced the addition of three distinguished authors to its jury: Charles King, Deesha Philyaw, and Luis Alberto Urrea. These esteemed writers bring a wealth of experience and accolades to the panel.
Charles King is the author of the New York Times-bestselling Gods of the Upper Air, which received the Francis Parkman Prize and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. His work has also been shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Times History Prize and the British Academy’s Al-Rodhan Prize for Global Cultural Understanding.
Deesha Philyaw, celebrated for her debut short story collection The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction. Her collection also won the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the 2020/2021 Story Prize, and the 2020 LA Times Book Prize: The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction23.
Luis Alberto Urrea is a prolific author and a 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist for nonfiction. His numerous accolades include the American Book Award, the Lannan Literary Award, and the Edgar Award. Urrea’s works, such as The Devil’s Highway and The Hummingbird’s Daughter, have garnered critical acclaim and widespread recognition.
King, Philyaw, and Urrea join returning jurors Natasha Tretheway (chair), Peter Ho Davies, and Tiya Miles.
New memoir/autobiography category:
“Memoir and autobiography” has been added as a fourth category for submissions, beginning with this year’s awards. The full list of categories includes fiction, poetry, memoir/autobiography and general nonfiction. To be eligible for the awards, books must contribute to our understanding of racism and foster an appreciation of cultural diversity. Books must be written in English and published and copyrighted in 2024 to be eligible for the 2025 prize.
Digital submission process and deadline:
This year, all submissions will be accepted digitally, streamlining the process for authors and publishers. For books published and copyrighted in 2024, the submission period will end on October 16, 2024.
For more information on the submission guidelines, please visit https://www.anisfield-wolf.org/submissions/.
Nicholas Roman Lewis has joined the Cleveland Foundation as the Director of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Lewis, who has served as a literary agent and entertainment attorney, as well as an alumni relations leader at Yale University, will focus on increasing the visibility and impact of the Awards locally, nationally, and internationally.
The 2024 winners will be announced at a March 26 event with author and 2022 AWBA fiction winner Percival Everett, in partnership with the Cuyahoga County Public Library. The event is free and open to the public.
Lewis joins the Cleveland Foundation from Yale University, where he served as senior director for shared interest and identity groups for the Yale Alumni Association. He has also served as a literary agent for authors of several books, including “Ghetto Nation,” “A Love Noire,” “Darker Still,” Leanna Renee Hieber’s “The Eterna Files,” as well as award-winning author Cora Daniels and John Jackson’s “Impolite Conversations.” In addition, Lewis has worked as an attorney in the fields of theater, television, music, and film.
“Nicholas comes to the Foundation with unique and robust experience in publishing, entertainment and community engagement, as well as a successful history in building strong relationships across a diverse range of stakeholder groups,” said Lillian Kuri, president and CEO of the Cleveland Foundation. “We are fortunate to welcome such a talented leader as we look to further elevate the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards while preserving its long-standing heritage.”
An Ohio native, Lewis received his Juris Doctorate from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Yale University.
“I am thrilled for the opportunity to build on the important work started by Edith Anisfield Wolf nearly 90 years ago,” said Lewis. “I believe in the power of literature to drive the conversation on social justice and look forward to expanding the reach of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards nationally and beyond.”
As previously announced, Karen R. Long will retire after an impactful 11 years leading the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Prior to her role with AWBA, Long spent an impressive 34-year career at the Cleveland Plain Dealer, including as book editor. She will remain with the Cleveland Foundation as a consultant through July 2024.
Updates to Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards Jury
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards welcomed several new jurors for 2024, as three jurors retired after years of dedication to AWBA, including long-time jury chair Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Retiring jurors:
- Henry Louis Gates, Jr., literary critic and professor, Harvard University
- Joyce Carol Oates, novelist, Princeton University
- Simon Schama, historian and professor, Columbia University
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards jury for 2024 is comprised of five award-winning authors and leaders in the literary and academic fields.
- Natasha Trethewey, poet and memoirist, Northwestern University (jury chair)
- Peter Ho Davies, novelist, University of Michigan
- Tiya Miles, historian, Harvard University
- Rita Dove, poet, University of Virginia (returning juror)
- Steven Pinker, psychologist Harvard University (returning juror)