The Sidney Prize recognizes writers whose works exhibit commitment to ideals of high standard, while supporting social and economic justice. Awarded monthly, it celebrates this pursuit through selection by U.S. and Canadian judges who have had significant impacts in their communities through journalism, writing or other forms of storytelling that expose hidden realities or bring attention to injustices in society.
The Sidney Lanier Prize for Southern Literature is bestowed each spring by the Mercer University Department of English in honor of Sidney Lanier, a 19th century poet born and raised in Macon. This prize recognizes Middle Georgia’s rich literary tradition and long writing about it; with committee membership comprising both professors from Mercer and leading American South scholars. Chairing this selection committee is Dr. David A. Davis a Professor of English at Mercer.
Each year, Overland Magazine awards three annual prize winners and two runners-up. The winning story will be published in Overland’s autumn 2024 issue as well as online, while both prize winners receive $5000 in prize money; runners-up each receive $750 prize money. Entrants to the competition are considered for publication and given an opportunity to submit future stories for future competitions; readers interested in entering must subscribe at a special subscriber rate of four issues for $230 (non-writers are ineligible); writers who have had submissions considered by other competitions are ineligible).
The Sidney Prize is co-sponsored by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation and SEIU labor union. Early grants by these entities made available tens of thousands in support for scholarships, research projects and lecture series on campus campuses. It also provided support to a range of community organizations and social service projects, such as HIV treatment. Today, the foundation offers smaller grants but remains true to its founding values. In the late 1940s, the foundation began awarding monetary prizes to journalists for investigative journalism done for the common good – initially known as Hillman Prizes but renamed as Sidney Prizes by 1950. Today, the foundation has established separate journalism prizes in Canada and United States: Hillman Prize for Journalism in both countries as well as Sidney Hillman Fund for Investigative Journalism at ProPublica administered by an inclusive board composed of workers, family members of abuse victims/survivors/left-leaning celebrities/community leaders.
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