The 2024 Debra E. Bernhardt Labor Journalism Prize
Debra E. Bernhardt
The New York Labor History Association’s Bernhardt Prize awards $1,000 to an article that exemplifies great writing for a general audience and furthers the understanding of the history of working people. The prize and the forum honor the vision of the late Debra E. Bernhardt, who worked in so many different realms to share the hidden histories of working people.
JOIN US on Thursday, October 17th, 6:00-7:30pm for the Tenth Annual Bernhardt Labor Journalism Forum and Awards Ceremony, to be held at NYU’s Tamiment Library, and also livestreamed.
RSVP required – register here.
FORUM – “ELECTION 2024: What’s at Stake for Labor?” with Alethia Jones (movement educator and labor studies faculty), Lucia Gomez (NYC CLC Political Director) and Eric Blanc (organizer and labor studies professor).
AWARD – The 2024 Bernhardt Labor Journalism prize will be awarded to Kim Kelly for the article, “Lawsuit: Alabama is Denying Prisoners Parole to Lease Their Labor to Meatpackers, McDonalds” (In These Times, April 19, 2024).
GUIDELINES – We welcome articles that put current issues like work, housing, organizing, health, or education in a historical context AND also articles about historical events. The work must be published in print or online between August 31, 2023 and August 31, 2024. The prize is given to insightful work that contributes to the understanding of labor history; shows creativity; demonstrates excellence in writing; can reach a broad audience; and adheres to the highest journalistic standards of accuracy. Only one article per entry; only one entry per person; publications and subject matter should target the United States and Canada; neither books nor plays are eligible. The deadline for the 2024 Contest was September 6, 2024. Previous winners are listed below.
The New York Labor History Association and NYU’s Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives sponsor this award in order to inspire more great writing for a general audience about the history of work, workers, and their organizations. The 2024 contest committee is Irwin Yellowitz, NYLHA; Rachel Bernstein, NYLHA and LaborArts; Shannon O’Neill, Tamiment Libary, NYU; Kate Whalen, NYC Central Labor Council; Michael Koncewicz, Institute for Public Knowledge, NYU; and Molly Crabapple, journalist.
We are guided by the vision of the late Debra E. Bernhardt, who worked in so many different realms to share the hidden histories of working people. As head of the Wagner Labor Archives she reached out to an astonishing number of people and organizations, to document undocumented stories and unrecognized contributions, and to make links between past and present. The LaborArts project is dedicated to Bernhardt, and the online exhibit “Making History Personal” explores her work.
See the new paperback edition of the book that features many of the materials she brought to the Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives – Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives – A Pictorial History of Working People in New York City.
Previous Prizes
Alex Press received the 2023 prize for her article, “Hollywood Is on Strike Against High-Tech Exploitation” (Jacobin, July 21, 2023). The November 8 forum focused on labor and artificial intelligence with Jane Chung (Justice Speaks), Christopher Kyle (Writers Guild) and Susan DeCarava (News Guild). Sonia Bernhardt Bloom spoke about Bernhardt. Watch video of the event here.
Molly Crabapple received the 2022 prize for for the article “How the Taxi Workers Won,” The Nation and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, 12/13/21. The October 2022 forum focused on new forms of organizing and featured Tom Robbins (moderator), Joselyn Chuquillanqui (Starbucks worker organizer), Claire Chang (REI worker organizer), Mat Cusick (former Amazon Union organizer); Alexander Bloom spoke about Bernhardt. Recording available here.
Martha Pskowski received the 2021 prize for “Saving Lives and Going Hungry: NYC Ambulance Workers Demand Higher Pay,” The Nation, April 6, 2021. The October 2021 virtual forum focused on newsroom organizing and the larger labor movement and featured Nastaran Mohit (NewsGuild) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (VICE); Alexander Bloom spoke about Bernhardt. Recording available here.
The 2019-2020 prize went to two articles: Josh Eidelson, “How the American Worker Got Fleeced,” with data analysis and graphics by Christopher Cannon, Bloomberg Businessweek July 2, 2020 and David Unger, “Which Side Are We On: Can Labor Support #BlackLivesMatter and Police Unions?” New Labor Forum, July 6, 2020. The October 2020 Forum featured labor journalist and author Steven Greenhouse and Culture Workers Education Center founder Natasha Bunten; Jon Bloom, Joe Doyle and Janet Greene spoke about Bernhardt. Video of the event available here.
Jaeah Lee received the 2018-19 Award for “The Real Cost of Working in the House of Mouse,” Topic Magazine (online), September 2018. She was a featured speaker at the 2019 Bernhardt Labor Journalism Forum on October 16, 2019, Labor Journalism – The Next Generation, with Kim Kelly (Teen Vogue) and Alex Pres (Jacobin); Sonia Bloom spoke about Bernhardt.
Toni Gilpin received the 2017-18 Award for “A Louisville Union Built Its Strength as Blacks, Whites Took on International Harvester,” in Louisville Weekly, August 30, 2017. She received the prize at the Bernhardt Labor Journalism Forum on October 16, 2018 – “2018 – The Year of the Teachers Strikes” with investigative journalists Micah Uetricht (Jacobin, In These Times) and Tom Robbins (CUNY); Keri Amanda Myers spoke about Bernhardt.
Garret Keizer was the 2016-17 Award winner for his article “Labor’s Schoolhouse” – Lessons from the Paterson SIlk Strike of 1913,” in Harper’s Magazine, July 2017. The prize was awarded at the Third Annual Bernhardt Labor Journalism Forum on Thursday October 12, 2017 at Tamiment Library, with investigative journalists and labor activists Ginger Adams Otis (NY Daily News); Michelle Chen (The Nation); and Ed Ott (CUNY) participating; Jon Bloom spoke about Bernhardt.
The 2015-2016 winner was Chloe Kent, for her article “The Women of New York’s Bravest” in Enchantress magazine, May 2016. The award was announced at a forum at NYU’s Tamiment Library on October 13, 2016. Columnist and broadcast journalist Juan Gonzalez joined historian Kimberly Phillips-Fein for a discussion about using history to improve reporting on current labor issues, with Tom Robbins returning as moderator; Jon Bloom spoke about Bernhardt.
The 2014-2015 prize was awarded on October 15, 2015 to David Kameras and Emily Harris for their May, 2014 article in the United Mine Workers Journal: “From Tragedy to Triumph – 100 Years Later, Workers Benefit from Ludlow’s Legacy.” The presentation was held at NYU’s Tamiment Library, following a program moderated by Tom Robbins, Investigative Journalist in Residence, Graduate School of Journalism, CUNY; with panelists Esther Kaplan, Editor, The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute; and Richard Steier, Editor, The Chief-Leader; Alex Bloom spoke about Bernhardt.