The Berkshire Conference of Women Historians awards four annual prizes recognizing outstanding historical scholarship by women or gender-marginalized historians. Prizes are given for first books and scholarly articles in two categories: those focusing on the history of women, gender, and/or sexuality, and those in other fields of history. Eligible works must have been published in the previous calendar year.
Annual Book Prizes
The Berkshire Conference of Women Historians awards two annual Book Prizes recognizing outstanding first books by women and gender-marginalized historians: one for a book that substantially engages with the history of women, gender, and/or sexuality, and one for a book in any other field of history.
Eligible books must be published in English during the previous calendar year and must be the author’s first book-length publication. Textbooks, juvenile literature, documentary collections, fiction, poetry, and essay collections are not eligible. Scholars worldwide may apply; there are no residency or geographic requirements, and nominees need not be Berks members. Berks Board members and employees remain eligible during their terms of service.
Bound page proofs may be accepted when permitted by the annual submission guidelines, but final copies must be provided by the stated deadline. The committee accepts electronic and hard copies. The submission deadline is March 15, 2027. Each Book Prize carries a $1,000 award.
Questions may be directed to Stephanie Rytilahti, Berks Executive Director, at execadmin@berksconference.org.
Annual Article Prizes
The Berkshire Conference of Women Historians awards two annual Article Prizes for scholarship by women and gender-marginalized historians:
- An article in the history of women, gender, and/or sexuality
- An article in any other field of history
For the 2026 prize cycle, eligible articles must be published in English and appear in print for the first time during the 2026 calendar year. Jointly authored articles and articles published in edited collections are eligible; reprints of articles published in previous years are not eligible.
Scholars worldwide may apply; there are no residency or geographic requirements, and nominees need not be Berks members. Berks Board members and employees remain eligible during their terms of service.
Authors and journal editors may submit nominations. Each journal may nominate up to three articles. Each Article Prize carries a $500 award. The submission deadline is January 31, 2027.
Please complete the nomination form for each article and email a PDF of the nominated article to Jasmin Young, Chair of the Berkshire Conference Article Prize Committee. Entries cannot be considered without a copy of the article.
Questions may be directed to Dr. Jasmin Young at articleprize@berksconference.org.
CCWH/Berks Graduate Student Fellowship
The CCWH / Berkshire Conference of Women Historians Graduate Student Fellowship is a $1000 award to a graduate student completing a dissertation in a history department. The award is intended to support either a crucial stage of research or the final year of writing.
The applicant must be a graduate student historian in a history department in a U.S. institution; must have passed to A.B.D. status by the time of application; may specialize in any field of history; may hold this award and others simultaneously; and need not attend the award ceremony to receive the award.
Vicki Ruiz Berkshire Conference of Women Historians Membership Gift
In honor of renowned historian Vicki L. Ruiz, who served as President of the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians (2002–2005), the Berks is pleased to offer a special membership gift at affiliate conferences and events.
When the Berks partners with another organization as an affiliate or co-sponsor, we will offer up to 20 complimentary one-year Berks membership to students and early career scholars attending the same event.
Vicki Ruiz’s internationally recognized scholarship has reshaped our understanding of Chicana history, immigration, labor, gender, and the everyday experiences of Mexican American women. Her work has amplified the voices of workers, activists, and community builders too often overlooked in U.S. historiography. A prolific scholar and a transformative leader, Ruiz has authored or edited fourteen books—including From Out of the Shadows: Mexican Women in Twentieth-Century America and Unequal Sisters: A Multicultural Reader in U.S. Women’s History—along with numerous influential articles.
Join us as we celebrate her legacy and welcome new members into a vibrant, inclusive community of scholars advancing the future of gender history.