The Paul Hair Prize, which honors Professor Paul E.H. Hair (1926-2001) of the University of Liverpool, was authorized by the ASA Board in 1990 and initiated in 1993. It is awarded in odd years to recognize the best critical edition or translation into English of primary source materials on Africa published during the preceding two years (copyright date). The prize was originally awarded by the Association for the Preservation and Publication of African Historical Sources (APPAHS). In 2005, David Henige provided a modest donation to ASA to award $300 with the prize. In 2015, the award transitioned to ASA and the editors of History in Africa (APPAHS leadership overlapped with History in Africa editorships 2015-2019). It is announced at the African Studies Association Annual Meeting. In the event that there are co-winners, the prize will be equally divided amongst the co-winners.
Eligibility
Eligible for consideration are editions of primary source materials dealing with the history, literature, and other aspects of the cultures of Africa, whether in African or European languages, whether from oral or written traditions, and whether the text is published for the first time or in a new edition. Books, digital resources and databases that meet these criteria are all eligible for consideration. Evaluation for the Paul Hair Text Prize is based on the importance of the text, the presentation of the text and the critical apparatus, and the utility of the work as a whole for scholars and teachers of Africa. Works edited by a single individual or jointly edited by more than one author are eligible for consideration. Anthologies with separate contributions by different authors, children’s books, and straightforward texts are not eligible. The minimum length is 10,000 words, excluding the apparatus.
Deadline: Nominations close April 30, 2025. Please send all nominations to managingedit@historyinafrica.org
2025 Committee
Terri Barnes, HiA editor
Bayo Holsey, HiA editor
Two additional scholars TBD