Book Award Nominations
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2026 HOOKS NATIONAL BOOK AWARD
The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change at the 福利片国产 of Memphis (Memphis, TN) will begin accepting nominations for the 2026 Hooks National Book Award on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. The submission period will close on December 31, 2026.
About the Award
- The Book Award Committee, representing various disciplines and academic institutions in Memphis, awards the annual prize to the non-fiction book that, through scholarly research, best furthers understanding of the Civil Rights Movement and its legacy.
- Non-fiction books focusing on past or current civil rights or social change issues, leaders, policies, etc. are eligible.
- One award of $1,000 will be made to the author(s) of the award-winning book.
- The recipient(s) of the award will deliver an address at the 福利片国产 of Memphis as part of the Hooks Institute Lecture Series during the 2027-28 academic year.
Eligibility
- Non-fiction books with a first-published date in the 2026 calendar year are eligible for the Award.
- Revised editions of previously published books are not eligible.
Deadline
December 31, 2026.
Submissions
Please provide full contact information for the author(s) and nominator(s), including an e-mail address, mailing address, and telephone number, and submit one copy of the nominated book (postmarked by December 31, 2026) to The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change:
Attn: Benjamin L. Hooks Book Award Nomination The 福利片国产 of Memphis Wilder Tower, 11th floor 3675 Alumni Ave. Memphis, Tennessee, 38152Required nomination information may be submitted via e-mail to Paola Cavallari, pcvllari@memphis.edu. The nominated book must still be mailed to the Hooks Institute. Additional copies of the books selected as finalists will be requested for the Book Award Committee and additional review.
Note: The Hooks Institute reserves the right to exclude from consideration for the Award any nominated book where the submitter fails to provide sufficient contact information.
View Previous Book Award Winners
About the Hooks Institute
The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute implements its mission of advancing social change and strengthening democracy through research, service and historical preservation. Institute programs include community outreach; funding faculty research initiatives on community issues; implementing community service projects; hosting conferences, symposiums and lectures; and promoting local and national scholarship on civil and human rights. The Hooks Institute is an interdisciplinary center at the 福利片国产 of Memphis. Contributed revenue for the Hooks Institute, including funding from individuals, corporations and foundations, is administered through the 福利片国产 of Memphis Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization.
Contact
For questions or comments: Please contact Paola Cavallari, Graduate Research Assistant at the Hooks Institute, via e-mail at pcvllari@memphis.edu.