With $85,000 in prize money, the 2023 NSW Premier’s History Awards were announced last night (Thursday 7 September) at the State Library of NSW as part of NSW History Week.
“We celebrate the remarkable achievements of our historians whose dedication and meticulous research ignite our curiosity by bringing fresh and nuanced perspectives to stories from our past,” said NSW Premier Chris Minns MP.
As storytellers, historians give a voice to people and events from the past – particularly those who may have been unable to share their stories – for future generations. I congratulate this year’s winning historians, writers, creators and producers.”
The 2023 NSW Premier’s History Awards winners are:
Australian History Prize ($15,000)
Elizabeth and John: The Macarthurs of Elizabeth Farm by Alan Atkinson (NewSouth)
General History Prize ($15,000)
Under Empire: Muslim Lives and Loyalties Across the Indian Ocean World, 1775–1945 by Michael Francis Laffan (Columbia University Press)
NSW Community and Regional History Prize ($15,000)
He Belonged to Wagga: The Great War, the AIF and returned soldiers in an Australian country town by Ian Hodges (Australian Scholarly Publishing)
Young People’s History Prize ($15,000)
The Goodbye Year by Emily Gale (Text Publishing)
Digital History Prize ($15,000)
The Australian Wars, Episode 1 by Rachel Perkins, Darren Dale, Jacob Hickey and Don Watson (Blackfella Films)
The Anzac Memorial Trustees Military History Prize ($10,000)
Soldiers and Aliens: Men in the Australian Army’s employment companies during World War II by June Factor (Melbourne University Publishing)
“The winners this year represent the full range of talent among contemporary Australian historians, from senior scholars offering the culmination of decades of research to emerging writers demonstrating creativity, nuance and insight. I congratulate them all, as well as their publishers and producers, for contributing so generously to Australia’s historical knowledge,” said Senior Judge, Professor Kate Fullagar.
“Humanity and history are inseparable. We cannot live in the moment – we need space, time and context if we are to make sense of our lives. Hardly surprising, then, that the Premier’s History Awards have the importance they do. My warmest congratulations to this year’s winners – and all the shortlisted works,” said State Librarian, John Vallance.
The NSW Premier’s History Awards were first presented in 1997 to honour distinguished achievement in history by Australian citizens and permanent residents. The Awards acknowledge the contribution of historical research to our culture and communities, and to society at large.
Past winners have included Alan Atkinson, Joan Beaumont, Stuart Macintyre, Ken Inglis, Inga Clendinnen, Bruce Scates, Mark McKenna, Warwick Thornton, Sean Scalmer, Ann McGrath, Nadia Wheatley and Grace Karskens.
The NSW Premier’s History Awards are administered by the State Library of NSW in association with Create NSW. We are pleased to acknowledge the support of the History Council of NSW and in 2023 the Anzac Memorial Trustees for their establishment and sponsorship of the Anzac Memorial Trustees Military History Prize.
For more information about the NSW Premier’s History Awards, visit: www.sl.nsw.gov.au for details.
Image: NSW Premier’s History Awards Winners (supplied)