April 10, 2025, 2:13pm
Today, the Cleveland Foundation announced the winners of its 90s annual Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, which seek to recognize books that “have made important contributions to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures.” It is America’s only endowed juried prize expressly dedicated to celebrating literature about racism.
“For 90 years, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards have championed fearless, groundbreaking literature that challenges the status quo, ignites dialogue, and shapes a more just and inclusive world,",” said Lillian Kuri, president and CEO of the Cleveland Foundation, in a statement. “This year’s winners unearth buried histories, redefine cultural narratives, and demand our attention—at a moment when these voices are more vital than ever.”
The 2025 recipients are:
Lifetime Achievement:
Yusef Komunyakaa
Fiction:
Danzy Senna, Colored Television
Nonfiction:
John Swanson Jacobs, ed. Jonathan D. S. Schroeder, The United States Governed By Six Hundred Thousand Despots: A True Story of Slavery; A Rediscovered Narrative, with a Full Biography
Memoir:
Tessa Hulls, Feeding Ghosts
Poetry:
Janice Harrington, Yard Show