Wallace Stegner Award

"Angry as one may be at what careless people have done and still do to a noble habitat, it is hard to be pessimistic about the West. This is the native home of hope. When it finally learns that cooperation, not rugged individualism, is the pattern that most characterizes and preserves it, then it will have achieved itself and outlived its origins. Then it has a chance to create a society to match the scenery."
Wallace Stegner

Special thanks go to Alan and Carol Ann Olson for their generous gift, ensuring that the Stegner Awards will continue to honor those who have the greatest influence on the West, for many years to come!

Each year, the Center of the American West presents the Wallace Stegner Award to an individual who has made a sustained contribution to the cultural identity of the West through literature, art, history, lore, or an understanding of the West. In the spirit of Wallace Stegner, the recipients have demonstrated singular achievement, creativity, and dedication to the perception of the West and Western issues, and have communicated to others the importance and uniqueness of the West as a distinct region. In short, the award is presented to those who have faithfully and evocatively depicted the spirit of the American West.

A public event is held in Boulder, Colorado to honor the recipient and present the award. The recipient is interviewed about her/his life achievements, particular interests in the West, accomplishments in bringing recognition to the West and Western issues, and their views about the West in general.

The Wallace Stegner Award is a beautifully framed, hand-made certificate. The award's inscription is personalized to reflect the recipient's distinguished accomplishments on behalf of the American West. The Wallace Stegner Award also comes with a $1,000 cash award.

Past recipients of the Wallace Stegner Award are listed below:
Click to view each person's award inscription

2009		Tom McGuane Award-winning Western Author
2008		Justice Sandra Day O'Connor First female Supreme Court Justice
2007		Ivan Doig Award-winning author
2006		John Echohawk Native American rights activist
		Billy Frank Native American rights activist
2005		Terry Tempest Williams Award-winning author
2003		John Nichols The Southwest's beloved author of numerous novels, including his New Mexico Trilogy: The Milagro Beanfield War, The Magic Journey, and The Nirvana Blues.
2002		Vine Deloria, Jr. Critically-acclaimed author, Professor Emeritus of History, and former Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians
2001		Rudolfo Anaya Award-winning author
1999		T.H. Watkins Environmental author and former editor of Wilderness magazine
1998		Paul Schullery Author and naturalist at Yellowstone National Park
1997		Daniel Kemmis Former Montana statesman and mayor of Missoula, and current Director of the Center for the Rocky Mountain West
		Reginald Saner Award-winning author and poet, and Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Colorado
1996		Eleanor Gehres Manager of the Western History/Genealogy Department of the Denver Public Library
		David Lavender Award-winning author and western historian
1995		Alvin Josephy Western author and historian
		Juane Quick-To-See Smith Artist and activist for Native American issues
1991		N. Scott Momaday Pulitzer Prize-winning author
1990		Bill Hornby Former Editor of the Denver Post
		Ed Marston Publisher of High Country News

The Center of the American West

Wallace Stegner Award