In 1993, the OHA established a series of annual and biennial awards to recognize outstanding achievement in oral history. Award winners are announced and celebrated at the OHA Annual Meeting each October and chronicled on the OHA Website. Follow links below for specific award submission guidelines.
Alongside its awards, the OHA provides funding annually for its Emerging Crises Oral History Research Grant, and occasionally applies for national grants to enable their members’ work on a host of other projects.
Application Timeline
Upcoming
Cliff Kuhn Award (Postsecondary Teaching Award)
currently closed (next Due date July 1, 2026 @ 11:59 pm CDT)
The Cliff Kuhn Award recognizes a distinguished postsecondary educator involved in undergraduate, graduate, continuing, or professional education who has incorporated the practice of oral history in the classroom in an exemplary way.
This is a biennial award; the next award will be made at the OHA’s 2026 Annual Meeting.
Stetson Kennedy Vox Populi (“Voice of the People”) Award
currently closed (next Due date July 1, 2026 @ 11:59 pm CDT)
The Stetson Kennedy Vox Populi Award honors individuals and organizations for outstanding achievement in using oral history to create a more humane and just world with special consideration given to candidates whose body of work is substantial enough to be regarded as a significant achievement.
This is a biennial award; the next award will be made at the OHA’s 2026 Annual Meeting.
Book Award
currently closed (next DUE date April 1, 2026 @ 11:59 PM CDT)
The OHA Book Award recognizes a published book that uses oral history to make a significant contribution to contemporary scholarship; and/or significantly advances understanding of important theoretical issues in oral history; and/or is an outstanding example of sound oral history methodology.
Emerging Crises Oral History Research Fund
CURRENTLY CLOSED (next dUE date APRIL 15, 2026 @ 11:59 PM CDT)
The Emerging Crises Oral History Research Fund provides funding annually for one oral historian or project to undertake oral history research in situations of crisis in the United States and internationally.
INDIGENOUS INITIATIVE RESEARCH FUND
CURRENTLY CLOSED (next DUE date JUNE 1, 2026 @ 11:59 PM CDT)
The OHA Indigenous Initiative Research Fund provides a $1,000 annual monetary award given to an oral historian actively engaged in a collaborative, community-based oral history research project with Indigenous peoples.
Article Award
CURRENTLY CLOSED (next DUE date JULY 1, 2026 @ 11:59 PM CDT)
The OHA Article Award is an honorific award to recognize a published article or essay that uses oral history to make a significant contribution to contemporary scholarship; significantly advances understanding of important theoretical issues in oral history; and/or is an outstanding example of sound oral history methodology.
Mason Multi-Media Awards
CURRENTLY CLOSED (next DUE date JULY 1, 2026 @ 11:59 PM CDT)
The OHA Mason Multi-Media recognizes outstanding oral history projects, collections, exhibits, and multimedia presentations for the public.
Passed (Await Next Cycle to Apply)
Martha Ross Teaching Award
CURRENTLY CLOSED (next due date july 1, 2027 @ 11:59 PM CDT)
The Martha Ross Teaching Award recognizes a distinguished primary or secondary school teacher or professional involved in educational outreach at the precollegiate level who has incorporated the practice of oral history in the classroom in an exemplary way.
This is a biennial award. The next award will be made at the OHA’s 2027 meeting.
Archived Grants & Awards
NEH Fellowship and Grant Program
In September, 2021 the Oral History Association was awarded $825,000 from the NEH American Rescue Plan to create a fellowship and grants program for under/unemployed oral historians, with a focus on oral historians from communities that have historically been marginalized in the field. You can read more about the grant, the fellowship and grant recipients, and their work HERE.