David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Legal History or Biography

This prize is made annually to be the best university press book in American legal history or biography that is accessible to the educated general public, rooted in sound scholarship, and with themes that touch upon matters of general concern to the American public, past or present.

The prize and $1,000 stipend is awarded every March at the Birmingham Public Library, Birmingham, Alabama. The presentation ceremony itself is sponsored by the Friends of the Birmingham Public Library and the Birmingham Public Library. Winners are asked to come to the ceremony and make a few remarks about the writing of the book. All travel expenses are paid by the Trust. View Past Prize Winners

The deadline for each year is December 1st. Books published in December are eligible for that year’s prize and should be submitted in page proofs or advanced version. Publishers should submit two copies to The Langum Charitable Trust, at the address indicated on the Contact page.

We hope that this prize will not only serve as an incentive for excellent writing, but also as a vetting process. It is intended to be a guide to the general public, bookstores, and acquisitions librarians---to all who may seek readable and sound legal history and biography, scholarship that is accessible to the educated general public.