Hooks Institute names 5 finalists for book award
The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change at the University of Memphis has selected the following finalists for the 2019 Hooks National Book Award:
Biased: Uncovering The Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think and Do by Dr. Jennifer L. Eberhardt; The Fire is Upon Us: James Baldwin, William F. Buckley, Jr. and the Debate over Race in America by Dr. Nicholas Buccola; Hattiesburg: An American City in Black and White by Dr. William Sturkey; Occupied Territory: Policing Black Chicago from Red Summer to Black Power by Dr. Simon Balto; and Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership by Dr. Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor.
The winner will be chosen this summer by a panel of judges representing various disciplines and academic institutions in Memphis.
“There were 30 nominees for the 2019 Hooks National Book Award,” said Aram Goudsouzian, U of M history professor chairman of the committee. “It was an exceptionally deep pool of quality books this year, including many books from some of the top university presses in the United States, as well as from prominent trade publishing houses.
“Reflecting the breadth of the impact of the civil rights movement, they covered a huge range of subjects from policing to intellectual history, sports to politics, activism to faith. Though it was exceptionally difficult to choose five finalists, these books distinguished themselves for their scholarly rigor, intellectual impact and wide accessibility.”
The Hooks Institute’s National Book Award is presented to a non-fiction book published in the calendar year that best furthers understanding of the American civil rights movement and its legacy.
The Hooks Institute extends its gratitude to the 2019 Hooks National Book Award committee. In addition to Goudsouzian, it includes Beverly Cross, Lillian and Morrie Moss Chair of Excellence in Urban Education; harles McKinney, associate professor of History at Rhodes College; Ladrica Menson-Furr, associate professor of English and director of African and African American Studies; Sharon Stanley, professor of Political Science; and Terrence Tucker, associate professor of English and coordinator of African American Literature.
For details, visit memphis.edu/benhooks/programs/book-award.php.
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