The Bernhardt Prize is an award of $500 given to an article or series of articles that furthers the understanding of the history of working people. Articles focused on historical events AND articles about current issues (work, housing, organizing, health, education) that include historical context are both welcome. The work should be published — in print or online — in a union or workers’ center publication or by an independent/free-lance journalist.
The first ever prize was awarded on October 15, 2015 to David Kameras and Emily Harris for their May, 2014 article in the United Mine Workers Journal: “From Tragedy to Triumph – 100 Years Later, Workers Benefit from Ludlow’s Legacy.” The presentation was held at NYU’s Tamiment Library, following the panel discussion “Labor History in Workers’ Stories,” with moderator Tom Robbins, Investigative Journalist in Residence, Graduate School of Journalism, CUNY; panelist Esther Kaplan, Editor, The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute; and panelist Richard Steier, Editor, The Chief-Leader.
The 2015-2016 winner will be announced at the Tamiment Library on Thursday October 13, 2016, during a forum about the history of labor journalism.
TO ENTER send an e-mail before Thursday September 1, 2016 to info@laborarts.org with the following information: Author name; title of article; name of publication; url link to publication if available; date and place of publication; url link for article if available. IF the entry originally appeared in print, mail six copies to Labor Arts, 7th Floor, 25 Broadway, New York, NY 10004. The work should be published between September 1, 2015 and August 30, 2016. Only one entry per person; publications and subject matter should target the United States and Canada; neither books nor plays are eligible.
The New York Labor History Association is sponsoring this award in order to inspire more great writing for a general audience about the history of work, workers, and their organizations. The prize will be given to insightful work that contributes to the understanding of labor history; shows creativity; demonstrates excellence in writing; and adheres to the highest journalistic standards of accuracy.
The award is co-sponsored by LaborArts; Metro New York Labor Communications Council; the NYC Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO; and the Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives at NYU’s Tamiment Library.
We are guided by the vision of the late Debra E. Bernhardt, who worked in so many different realms to share the hidden histories of working people. As head of the Wagner Labor Archives she reached out to an astonishing number of people and organizations, to document undocumented stories and unrecognized contributions, and to make links between past and present. The LaborArts project is dedicated to Bernhardt, and the 2015 exhibit “Making History Personal” explores her work.
Questions? Contact info@LaborArts.org or 212-966-4014 ext. 1703
