The Susie Pryor Award in Arkansas Women’s History offers an annual prize of $1,000 for the best unpublished essay on topics in Arkansas women’s history. Manuscripts are reviewed on their contributions to knowledge of women in Arkansas history, use of primary and secondary materials, creative interpretation, originality, and stylistic excellence. Many of the winning papers have been published.

Papers are judged in five areas:

Thesis: strong statement of purpose and clear presentation of analytical themes.

Sources: intensive and interpretive use of primary sources and/or archival evidence. Papers that focus too heavily on secondary sources will not be considered.

Textual criticism: a coherent discussion of the analytical limitations of the primary sources and how they can be used most effectively by historians.

Historiography: how does this analytical essay corroborate or refute existing work on Arkansas women’s history? What is original about the thesis of this essay?

Stylistic excellence and good organizational strategy, as well as superior research, analysis, and historiography. In addition, papers must be properly documented with either footnotes or endnotes.

Submittals must be received by February 15 each year. 

See Entry Criteria Page for more information.

Judges will be strong in the area of Arkansas history and familiar with recent literature in the field. At least one will be an “outside” judge. They will evaluate for content, readability, and impact.

Click here to view 2010 Susie Pryor Award Flyer