The Stetson Kennedy Vox Populi (“Voice of the People”) biennial award will be presented for the first time at the OHA 2010 Annual Meeting in Atlanta. The award honors outstanding achievement in the collecting and use of oral histories of individuals and organizations whose work has contributed to change for a better world. 

The award is named in honor of Stetson Kennedy, a pioneer oral historian whose work has been an important tool for advocacy on behalf of human rights.  His work has also had a significant, continuing impact on the oral history movement itself.

The Vox Populi Award was created to recognize work that has made this kind of difference in the world, while advancing our sense of the power of oral history in the process. The award is co-sponsored by The Stetson Kennedy Foundation (www.stetsonkennedy.org), a non-profit foundation dedicated to human rights, racial and social justice, environmental stewardship, and the preservation and growth of folk culture.

The 2010-12 Stetson Kennedy Vox Populi Award Committee consists of: 
Alan H. Stein, Chair
Stetson Kennedy
Daniel Kerr
Donald Ritchie
Laura Wendling

The Committee invites nominations, which should be in the form of a two-three page nominating statement describing the nominee’s accomplishments in and through use of oral history, and the rationale for nomination.  Supporting materials such as collection descriptions, transcripts, publications, media productions, investigative journalism, etc. can be included. 

The nominating letter and any supporting text documentation should be assembled into ONE Microsoft Word document .  Copies of any additional media should be included in electronic form as file attachments, so they can be distributed to committee members for review. Nominations must be emailed, attention Vox Populi Award Committee, to:  oha@dickinson.edu  and received by July 18, 2010.