American writer Hanif Abdurraqib has been honored with the prestigious 2026 Weston International Award, which comes with a prize of $75,000. This award complements the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction, an annual accolade presented to a Canadian author for a singular work of nonfiction.
The Weston International Award acknowledges the impressive career achievements of international authors in the field of nonfiction. To be eligible, international authors must have published a minimum of three books of exceptional literary quality in English or widely available translations.
Abdurraqib, a renowned poet, essayist, and cultural critic, is celebrated for his insightful commentary on music, sports, Black culture, and social justice. Among his notable works are “There’s Always This Year,” a book exploring basketball, race, and American society, which received the National Books Critics Circle Award. Additionally, his writings include “A Little Devil in America,” delving into Black performance and honored with the Carnegie Medal, and “They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us,” a collection of music-infused essays. His poetry collections include “The Crown Ain’t Worth Much” and “A Fortune for Your Disaster.”
In recognition of his exceptional contributions, Abdurraqib was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2021 and a recipient of the Windham-Campbell Prize in 2024. Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, he was selected as the winner of the Weston International Award by a panel consisting of an international advisory committee and a Canadian jury.
The international advisory committee comprised PBS arts correspondent Jeffery Brown, British Iranian author and literary editor of The Guardian David Shariatmadari, and Nigerian author, literary festival director, and publisher Lola Shoneyin. The Canadian jury included author and professor Dean Jobb, nonfiction writer and filmmaker Chase Joynt, author Tess McWatt, author and scholar Christina Sharpe, and author Jenny Heijun Wills.
Praising Abdurraqib’s work, the jury highlighted his ability to capture the essence of Black life through the mediums of performance, music, and sports with a unique and authoritative voice. They commended his exploration of themes such as basketball, dance, music, and social issues, emphasizing his commitment to amplifying marginalized voices and challenging falsehoods.
Abdurraqib is scheduled to deliver a talk at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto on September 14 to discuss his career and literary contributions. Tickets for the event can be obtained through the Weston International Award website. Last year’s recipient of the award was American author Leslie Jamison.
The Writers’ Trust of Canada, a charitable organization established in 1976 by literary figures including Margaret Atwood and Pierre Berton, aims to support, promote, and honor Canadian writers and their work through various initiatives including national literary awards, grants, and career development programs for emerging writers.