James William Rivers Prize
About the Prize
The James William Rivers Prize in Louisiana Studies is among the most prestigious awards in Louisiana Studies. It was established to honor persons (or organizations) who have contributed or rendered, recently or over the course of their careers, outstanding scholarly study, work, or teaching about the culture, history, art, architecture, crafts, flora, fauna, music, literature, law, performing arts or geography of Louisiana or about its people. The Rivers Prize, consisting of a cash award and other acknowledgments, was established with private funds donated in memory of Mr. Rivers, a New Orleans architect and graduate of USL (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), who died in 1991
Nominations
Nominations must be in writing and sent (before October 31st of any given calendar year) to the James William Rivers Prize Committee by email at cls@louisiana.edu, with the subject heading, "Rivers Prize Nomination." Please include documentation and/or reasons in support of any nominations. Nominations will be reviewed by a committee made up of representatives from the UL Lafayette College of the Arts, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Center for Louisiana Studies. Finalists not chosen to receive the Prize will automatically be considered by the Prize Committee the following year.
Past Recipients
1992 A. Hays Town
1993 Marcel Giraud
1994 Saul Litvinoff
1995 Joy J. Jackson
1996 Barry J. Ancelet
1997 Mary Louise Christovich
1998 Ernest J. Gaines
1999 Samuel Wilson, Jr.
2000 Glen Jeansonne
2001 Elemore Morgan Sr. and Elemore Morgan Jr.
2002 Mathé Allain
2003 Glenn R. Conrad
2004 Louisiana Public Broadcasting
2005 Ellis Marsalis
2006 Frank de Caro
2007 James Lee Burke
2008 Jay D. Edwards and the Fred B. Kniffen Cultural Resources Laboratory
2009 Carl A. Brasseaux
2010 La. Endowment for the Humanities
2011 George Rodrigue
2012 Zachary Richard
2013 Nicholas Spitzer
2014 Leah Chase
2015 Darrell Bourque
2016 Philip Gould
2017 Maida Owens
2018 Not Awarded
2019 The Historic New Orleans Collection
2020 Gwendolyn Midlo Hall
2021 Michael White
2022 Malcolm Vidrine and Charles Allen