Bolton-Johnson Prize

$1,000 is awarded annually for the best English-language book on any aspect of Latin American History.

The Bolton prize was established in 1956. It was enhanced in 2000 by a generous donation from Dr. John J. Johnson and is now the Bolton-Johnson Prize. It carries a stipend of $1,000. The Bolton-Johnson Prize is awarded for the best book in English on any significant aspect of Latin American History that is published anywhere during the imprint year previous to the year of the award. Sound scholarship, grace of style, and importance of the scholarly contribution are among the criteria for the award. Normally not considered for the award are translations, anthologies of selections by several authors, reprints or re-editions or works published previously, and works not primarily historiographical in aim or content. An Honorable Mention Award may be made for an additional distinguished work deemed worthy by the Bolton-Johnson Prize Committee.

1. To be considered for the Bolton-Johnson Prize, a book must bear the imprint of the year prior to the year for which the award is made. Hence, for the 2025 Bolton-Johnson Prize, to be awarded in January of 2026, the Bolton-Johnson Prize Committee will review and judge books with imprint year 2024.

2. For a book to be considered, each of the three committee members must receive a copy, either from the publisher or from another source. Books received after June 1 of the award year will not be considered. The CLAH office should be informed of the committee’s decision no later than October 15.

3. Authors are advised to consult their publishers to be certain their books have been nominated and copies sent.

4. The Bolton-Johnson Prize Committee is under no obligation to identify or seek out potential books for consideration.  For a book to be considered, each of the three committee members must receive a copy by June 1, 2025, either from the publisher or from another source.

5. In exceptional cases, the book award committee may decide on co-winners. The co-winners will split the prize. In such cases, there would not be an honorable mention.

Note: The CLAH requires current membership for all of its prizes and awards.

Please send all submissions to each of the committee members listed below.

Bolton-Johnson Prize Committee for 2025:

Ana Araujo (chair)
1600 South Joyce Street
Apt. 1719
Arlington, VA 22202

Jonathan Ablard
403 Muller
Department of History
Ithaca College
Ithaca, NY 14850

Kaysha Corinealdi
Department of Latino & Caribbean Studies
Lucy Stone Hall, A262
54 Joyce Kilmer Ave.
Piscataway, NJ 08854

Deadline for receipt of nominations: June 1, 2025.

Donations to the Bolton-Johnson Prize fund can be made here.

To see the list of past Bolton-Johnson Prize recipients and prize committees, see here.

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