Septima Clark Book Awards Grant

The Septima Clark Book Awards, established by NCSS in 2019, honor exceptional children's literature that sensitively addresses women's issues. Designed to elevate the visibility of authors tackling these topics, the awards are presented annually at the NCSS Annual Conference, attended by over 4,000 educators. Winning authors receive recognition and promotional opportunities, while award-winning books are featured for sale at the conference bookstore and reviewed in the NCSS journal, ensuring widespread acknowledgment and support for these important narratives.

NOTE: Nominations for this award are currently closed and will open in Fall 2024.NCSS established the Septima Clark Book Awards for the most distinguished books appropriate for young readers that depict women's issues globally. First presented in 2019, this award is intended to “encourage the writing, publishing, and dissemination of outstanding social studies books for young readers that treat topics related to women's issues sensitively and accurately.” Books relating to womens issues and the authors of such books rarely receive the recognition they merit from professional organizations. By sponsoring the Septima Clark Book Awards, NCSS gives wide recognition to and encourages these authors and publishers.
The Septima P. Clark Book Award is presented to exemplary books written for children and young people each year at the NCSS Annual Conference. Authors are recognized at the NCSS Annual Conference, which is attended by over 4,000 K-12 and university level educators and other social studies professionals who enjoy interacting with the Septima P. Clark Award-winning authors and will be interested in obtaining copies of books for use with their students. Award-winning authors will be presented with a commemorative gift at the NCSS Meet-the-Author Panel Session. A book signing will follow.
Copies of the award-winning and honor books will be requested from publishers for purchase at a discounted price in order to feature those books for sale at the Annual Conference NCSS Bookstore. The award-winning books will also be reviewed in the NCSS journal Social Education in the year following the recognition. In addition, a medallion for these books was introduced in 2019. Each year, three books, one elementary (K-6), one middle (5-8) and one secondary (7-12), will receive the Septima P. Clark Book Award and three outstanding runner-up books will be designated as Septima P. Clark Honor Books. Award winning books and honor books are publicized as the recipients of this distinguished NCSS recognition.