Anna K. Nelson Prize for Archival Excellence

Awarded Biannually (Odd Years) • Recognition

About the Anna K. Nelson Prize

This prize honors an archivist who has demonstrated both exemplary expertise as well as outstanding and dedicated service over time to the community of scholars of the history of U.S. foreign relations and international history.

The Nelson Prize was established in 2020 to honor Anna Kasten Nelson, an outstanding scholar of U.S. foreign relations who also served as a tireless advocate for making governmental records available to the public and to the scholarly community. As a member of the National Study Commission on Records and Documents of Federal Officials established in the wake of President Nixon’s resignation, she helped write the commission’s report, which prompted passage of the Presidential Records Act. She also served the American Historical Association’s Research Division and the State Department’s Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation, and President Bill Clinton appointed her to the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board. She was a professor of history at George Washington University and a tireless advocate for making governmental records available to the public and scholarly communities.

Procedures

Nominations may come from any member of SHAFR. Self-nominations are accepted. A letter of nomination should:

• (a) provide a brief biography of the nominee, including educational background, professional positions held, and awards and honors received;
• (b) list the nominee's major work accomplishments and discuss the nature of their contribution to the preservation of historical records of diplomatic history and international affairs; and
• (c) detail the candidate's services to the scholarly community studying U.S. foreign relations and international history, listing specific organizations and offices and discussing particular activities.

Submission Procedures

To nominate a candidate for the Nelson Prize, please follow the submission guidelines outlined below.