SHEAR Prizes

The Society for Historians of the Early American Republic awards book prizes to original monographs that deal with the period 1776-1861 in America. Certainly, some books that we consider cover a slightly broader time frame than this. But in order to qualify, the book must make its primary scholarly contribution to the history of the early American republic. Within that period, the book may treat virtually any aspect of history, including political, economic, social, or cultural history. In addition, let me emphasize that the book must be an original monograph or a collection of original essays. Editions of primary sources will not be considered, nor will new editions of old books or anthologies of previously published essays.

Prizes for books published in 2023 were awarded at the 2024 meeting in following categories: SHEAR Best Book, James Broussard Best First Book, James Bradford Best Biography Prize, and Mary Kelley Prize. As in past years, we interpret the prize for the current year to mean that the book carries a copyright date of the previous year. (For example, the books awarded prizes in 2024 were published in 2023.) In addition, books under consideration must carry the appropriate copyright date. A book with a 2022 copyright date whose publication was delayed until 2023, for example, would have been normally ineligible for the 2023 prize.

To be considered for a prize at next year’s meeting, please be prepared to send one copy of each of your books that satisfy these guidelines to the members of this year’s Book Prize Committees by March 1. (Please note this is the latest date we can accept nominations. Earlier submissions are welcome.) Please note that there are three different committees for the SHEAR book prizes in the following categories. 

The following listings are for the 2025 prize committees. 

The SHEAR Book Prize and James Bradford Best Biography Prize

The SHEAR Book Prize will be awarded to the book that makes the best primary scholarly contribution to the history of the early American republic. As stated above, the book may treat virtually any aspect of history, including political, economic, social, or cultural history.

The James Bradford Biography Prize will be awarded annually to the author of an original biography, broadly defined, published in the previous year, of a person active during the era of the Early Republic. Editions of primary sources will not be considered, nor will new editions of old books or anthologies of previously published essays.

If you wish to make a nomination or nominations for the SHEAR Book Prize and James Bradford Best Biography Prize, please send copies of books by March 1, 2025, to the prize committee judges at the published addresses. Please contact the committee members directly regarding shipping questions.

Professor Marcus P. Nevius (chair)
409 Jesse Hall
Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy
801 Conley Avenue
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
mpnevius [at] missouri.edu

Professor Kelly Gray
12 Galetree Ct.
Cockeysville, MD 21030
egray [at] towson.edu

Erica Armstrong Dunbar
Dept. of History, Rutgers University 
111 Van Dyck Hall
16 Seminary Place 
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
erica.dunbar [at] rutgers.edu

The James H. Broussard Best First Book Prize

The James H. Broussard Best First Book Prize is named for the individual most responsible for the creation of SHEAR as an academic organization. The prize is awarded annually to the best “first book” by a new author published in the previous calendar year and dealing with any aspect of the history of the early American republic.

If you wish to make a nomination or nominations for the James H. Broussard Best First Book Prize, please send copies of books by March 1, 2025, to the prize committee judges at the following addresses. Please contact the committee members directly regarding shipping questions.

Professor Christopher Bonner (chair)
University of Maryland, College Park
2115 Francis Scott Key Hall
College Park, MD  20742
cjbonner [at] umd.edu

Professor Jake Ruddiman
History Department
Wake Forest University
PO Box 7806
Winston Salem NC 27109
ruddimja [at] wfu.edu

Adam Rothman
History Department
Intercultural Center 600
Georgetown University
3700 O St. NW
Washington, DC 20057-1035
ar44 [at] georgetown.edu

The Mary Kelley Prize

SHEAR will also award the Mary Kelley Prize, honoring the best book published on the history of women, gender, or sexuality in the Early American Republic (1776-1861). The prize is named in honor of Mary Kelley, the Ruth Bordin Collegiate Professor of History, American Culture, and Women’s Studies at the University of Michigan, who has produced path-breaking work on gender and intellectual history, the history of reading, and the history of education and is a past president of SHEAR. This prize marks an opportunity to celebrate her contributions to SHEAR at the same time that we recognize work in a subfield that has moved to the center of our thinking about the Early Republic.

Please send one copy of books that satisfy the guidelines of the Mary Kelley Prize to the members of this year’s prize committee by March 1, 2025.

Nan Wolverton (chair)
VP for Academic and Public Programs
American Antiquarian Society
190 Salisbury Street
Worcester, MA 01609
nwolverton [at] mwa.org

Lori Ginzberg
4813 Beaumont Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19143
Ldg1 [at] psu.edu

Amrita Chakrabarty Myers
Department of History
842C Ballantine Hall
1020 E. Kirkwood Ave.
Bloomington, IN 47405
apmyers [at] iu.edu

The Ralph D. Gray Article Prize

The Ralph D. Gray Article Prize is named for the founding editor of the Journal of the Early Republic. The prize is awarded annually for the best original article published in the previous volume of the JER, as determined by a committee selected by the editors of the journal.

SHEAR Dissertation Prize

SHEAR awards the SHEAR Dissertation Prize to an exceptional unpublished dissertation pertaining to the history of North America from 1776 to 1861. The prize is awarded annually.

SHEAR/UVA Press Dissertation Prize committee:

Nadine Zimmerli (chair)
Editor in Chief
University of Virginia Press

Charlene Boyer-Lewis
Dept. of History
Kalamazoo College

Christa Dierksheide
Dept. of History
University of Virginia

Hannah Farber
Dept. of History
Columbia University

Amy Greenberg
Dept. of History
Pennsylvania State University

Please send submissions to:

nizimmerli [at] virginia.edu by January6,2025

SHEAR Manuscript Prize

SHEAR awards the SHEAR Manuscript Prize to an exceptional unpublished dissertation pertaining to the history of North America from 1776 to 1861. The prize is awarded annually for the best original article published in the previous volume of the JER, as determined by a committee selected by the editors of the journal.

If you have questions regarding any of the prizes, please contact shear@wm.edu.