The Sidney Prize is given monthly to an outstanding piece of journalism that exposes social and economic injustice. Winners receive a cash prize and a certificate designed by New York City artist Edward Sorel. To nominate a work, submit it using this form by the last day of the month. Alternatively, you can take out one of our special prize subscriptions: for $62, you get discounted entry and a discount subscription to Overland, which includes four print issues and access to the daily online magazine.
The 2024 winner is Elizabeth Spencer for her story “The Song of the Chattahoochee.” First awarded in 2012, the prize honors 19th-century Southern poet Sidney Lanier and Middle Georgia’s long literary heritage and complex tradition of writing about the region. The committee praised Spencer’s masterful technique, fearlessness and ability to both challenge social conventions and elevate artistic standards.
Other 2024 winners include:
Abortion Bans Have Delayed This Mother’s Medical Care. But That’s Just the Beginning
The New York Times Magazine’s report on a mother’s battle with a restrictive abortion law and her death as a result reveals the ways the legal system can fail in the face of human suffering. The authors’ research is a model of how to investigate the complex issues of our time, and the resulting article is an important contribution to a critical debate that has too often been reduced to simplistic sound bites.
Getting Behind on State Income Taxes Is a Nightmare, But Those Who Do It Are Not Alone
In this story, Maya Srikrishnan and Ashley Clark follow a family as they navigate both the American immigration system and the bureaucratic nightmare of paying back overdue taxes in their new home. Their work is a testament to both the human cost of immigration policy and the tenacity of people determined to keep fighting for their rights.
The Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize is supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation and Overland. It is open to all writers, nationally and internationally, at any stage of their careers. The winning writer will receive $5000 and their story will be published in Overland’s autumn issue. Two runners-up will each receive $750.