The Nineteenth-Century Studies Association is pleased to announce the BIPOC Scholars Prize, which recognizes excellence in scholarly studies from any discipline focusing on any aspect of the long nineteenth century (French Revolution to World War I) completed by a scholar who identifies as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or a person of color). The winning article will be selected by a committee of diverse nineteenth-century scholars representing a variety of disciplines. The winner will receive a cash award of $500 to be presented at the annual NCSA conference. NCSA encourages winners to attend the annual conference and will waive the conference registration fee. (Winners have to become NCSA members, but will be provided with a coupon during the conference registration period.) 

Eligibility
Applicants must identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or a person of color).

Entries can be from any discipline, must be published in English or accompanied by an English translation, and submission of essays that are interdisciplinary are encouraged. Articles that appeared in print in a journal or edited collection in 2024 or between January 1 and June 30, 2025 are eligible for the 2026 BIPOC Scholars Prize, which will be presented at the 2026 NCSA Conference; if the listed date of publication does not fall within that span (e.g. journal running behind in volume/issue years) but the work appeared between those dates, then it is eligible.

Essays published in online, peer-reviewed journals are considered to be “in print” and are thus eligible. The first format in which the article is published, whether print or online is considered to be the official publication date.

Articles may be submitted by the author or the publisher of a journal, anthology, or volume containing independent essays.

Nineteenth-Century Studies Association Officers, Board, Senior Advisory Committee, and BIPOC Scholars Award committee members are not eligible to receive the award until two years have elapsed since their service.

Deadline
The deadline for submission is July 1, 2025.

To Apply
Please fill out this Google Form to submit your application. You’ll be able to attach your publication and ancillary material as PDFs.

Inquiries
Wendy Castenell, wcastenell@wlu.edu
Emily August, emily.august@stockton.edu
Diversity and Inclusion Committee Co-Chairs

Past Recipients

2025
Nana Osei Quarshie, Assistant Professor in the Program in the History of Science and Medicine, Yale University, “Spiritual Pawning: ‘Mad Slaves’ and Mental Healing in Atlantic-Era West Africa.” Comparative Studies in Society and History 65.3 (2023): 475–499.

2024
Mark Alan Mattes, Assistant Professor and Internship Program Director, Dept. of English, University of Louisville “Trees and Texts: Indigenous History, Material Media, and the Logan Elm.” Criticism 64. 3 (2022): 267-84.

2023
Jeanette Acevedo Rivera, Associate Professor of Spanish, California State University, Long Beach. “‘One Should Never Write in Albums’: Analyzing Nineteenth-Century Albums as Social Networks.” Nineteenth-Century Contexts 44 (3) July 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/08905495.2022.2084958.