Call For Nominations: Wiley-Silver Prize for Best First Book in Civil War History Published in 2020

The Center for Civil War Research is accepting submissions for the annual Wiley-Silver Prize in Civil War History. The prize will be awarded to the best first book in Civil War history published in 2020.  It recognizes exceptional emerging scholars in the history of the American Civil War.  The prize is named for two distinguished former members of the University's History Department faculty, Bell Irvin Wiley and James W. Silver. 

Eligibility: The Wiley-Silver Prize in Civil War History will be awarded annually to a scholar’s first book or monograph in Civil War history published in the previous year.  For this competition, books published in 2020 are eligible.  Books or monographs published by scholarly or popular presses are eligible.  Except in extraordinary circumstances, textbooks are not eligible, nor are anthologies or edited works.  The winner will receive a prize of $2,000.

To Submit a Book: The Center and each prize committee member must receive one copy of the book by Friday, February 26, 2021.  Entries may be submitted by publishers or authors.  Each entry must be clearly labeled “Wiley-Silver Prize Entry.” If the book carries a copyright date different from the publication date, publishers must enclose a letter explaining the eligibility of the entry.  Results will be announced by August 1, 2021.  For more information and the addresses to send submissions, visit our website:

http://civilwarcenter.olemiss.edu/wileysilverinfo.shtml