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.