Historical awards for children's and young adult books encourage writers to create books about historical subjects that will be of interest to young readers. In 1982, author Scott O'Dell established an annual $5,000 award bearing his name. The award is open to non-fiction works published the previous year. The Jefferson Cup Award honors books that focus on historical fiction, biographies or American history for young people. The Virginia Library Association's Youth Services Forum sponsors the award.
National organizations award works that promote their society's particular historical emphasis. The Military Writers Society of America recognizes writers in historical fiction, military non-fiction and biography, that have written a work focused on some aspect of the American military. Similarly, The Society of American Historians, biennially awards $2,500 to an author who exemplifies excellence in literary construction and historical scholarship. The work of fiction must portray people and events of the American past in a manner that furthers the historical understanding of the subject matter.
There are also awards given to writers who write within specific genres that incorporate history. The Bruce Alexander Memorial Historical Mystery Award recognizes the best historical mystery novel that covers events prior to 1950. Bruce Alexander Cook was a twentieth century author who wrote historical mystery series that took place in the eighteenth century. Historical Romance writers vie for the Romance Writers of America RITA Award each year. There is a category for best historical romance and one for best Regency historical romance, a novel set during the Regency period of the British Empire.
Academic awards honor academic historians for their contributions to historical literature. Among the most distinguished is the Bancroft Prize, established in 1948 by a bequest from Columbia University lecturer, historian and author Frederic Bancroft. Authors who demonstrate depth of research, interpretation and significance in some area of American history or diplomacy can win the $10,000 prize. The Society of American Historians also grants a $1,000 award for a doctoral dissertation on an American subject. Their Allan Nevins Prize, honors the society's founder.