Applause.

Celebration in community.

The annual award event takes place in the Fall at the historic African Meeting House on Boston’s Beacon Hill (Due to COVID restrictions, the 2020, 2021, and 2022 events were virtual). Winners and finalists must be present at the event to receive the $50,000 and $10,000 prizes, respectively. The evening starts with a pre-event wine and hors-d’oeuvres reception where attendees are invited to meet the winning authors. The ceremony itself features remarks by all of the authors, an interview with the winning author and Callie Crossley — the award-winning host of WGBH’s Under the Radar. The first 99 attendees to arrive receive their choice of a free copy of one of the winning titles, which the authors are available to sign during the post-event dessert reception and book signing.

2023 MAAH Stone Book Award Event
Thursday, October 19, 2023

2023 Award Event Program

Be inspired by the power of words that testify to the depth and breadth of our history. And the first 100 people to arrive at the reception will receive a free signed copy of one of the winning books!

2022 MAAH Stone Book Award
Virtual Event

October 13, 2022 | 6:30 pm ET

2022 Award Event Program

The event on October 13th featured this year's $50,000 award winner Howard W. French for his book Born in Blackness in conversation with award-winning journalist Callie Crossley, as well as remarks by our $10,000 finalists Jarvis Givens and Tiya Miles, and commentary by our 2022 jurors Dana Williams, William Sturkey, Charles McKinney, Courtney Baker and Jesse McCarthy.

2021 MAAH Stone Book Award
Virtual Event

October 14, 2021

Download the 2021 program

2020 MAAH Stone Book Award
Virtual Event,
October 15, 2020

Produced in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, and hosted by Callie Crossley, the event showcased the winning authors, our esteemed jurors, and noted scholars in the field of African American history and culture.

Download the 2020 Program


The 2019 MAAH Stone Book Award Event
September 12, 2019

Over 150 people attended the 2019 event at the historic African Meeting House in Boston that celebrated 2019 winner Julius S. Scott and finalists Kellie Carter Jackson and Mary Schmidt Campbell and their excellent work in the field of African American history and culture. Awards were presented by esteemed jurors Jarvis Givens and Leigh Raiford.


2018 MAAH Stone Book Award Ceremony
September 13, 2018

Our inaugural event in 2018 honored Tera Hunter as the very first MAAH Stone Book Award winner.