We present to you the awards we covered here at James Murua Literary that were presented around African and Black Literature in 2020.
Like any year, there were many awards handed out across the world where African and Black writers featured. In a very literary award thing, awards being given out this year were either the 2019 or 2020 edition depending on the organisers timelines. I have categorised these awards below for purposes of geography as Pan African, National, and International. Please note for brevity that this list includes only those who won in their categories; if we included longlists and shortlists this would be a much longer affair.
Pan African
This category is for awards that only African writers and poets are eligible for. A few were cancelled because of the pandemic like the Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize. Here are the winners of these awards handed out in 2020.
- Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry 2020: Cheswayo Mphanza
- Mabati Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature 2019: Moh’d Khamisi Songoro, Lello Mmassy
- Afritondo Short Story Prize 2020: Jarred Thompson
- Brunel International African Poetry Prize 2020: Rabha Ashry
- African Writers Trust Publishing Grant 2020: Botho Lejowa
- Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2020 Africa region: Innocent Chizaram Ilo
- Orange Book Award in Africa 2020: Youssouf Amine Elalamy
- AKO Caine Prize for African Writing 2020: Irenosen Okojie
- K & L Prize 2020: Kanyinsola Olorunnisola
- Mohammed Saeed Nawed Short Story Award 2020: Mohammed Hassan Al-Nahat
- Quramo Writers’ Prize 2020: Kadiri Alex
- Nommo Awards 2020: Suyi Davies Okungbowa, Wole Talabi, Ada Nnadi, Chikodili Emelumadu, Morakinyo Araoye, Steven Akinyemi, and Ogim Ekpezu
- Toyin Fálọlá Prize 2020: Fayssal Bensalah
- African Writers Awards 2020: Oladejo Oluyemisi, Asoloko Gloria Akayi, Duru Nneka Joyce, Madeha Ezekial Malecela.
- Sarraounia Prize for Young Adult Fiction 2020: Paul Kisakye
- Morland Writing Scholarships 2020: Howard Meh-Buh Maximus, Kobina Ankomah-Graham, Okwiri Oduor, and Sarah Uheida
- Aidoo-Snyder Prize for Best Creative Work 2020: Jumoke Verissimo
- Prix Les Afriques 2020: Ayobami Adebayo
- Kalahari Short Story Prize 2020 (English): Ogamba Frances
- Brittle Paper Persons of the Year 2020: Zukiswa Wanner, Mona Eltahawy, Ato Quayson, Huza Press, Doek!, Sarah Ozo-Irabor (Books & Rhymes).
- Babishai Haiku Prize 2020: Andrew Herbert Omuna
National
This is a category where those who participate are within a national border.
- Prix Littéraire Makomi 2020: Éric Ntumba
- Dinaane Debut Fiction Award 2020: Resokestwe Manenzhe
- Prix Kon Nnanga 2019: Fritz Bell
- Tell Your Own Story National Book Awards 2020: Mubanga Kalimamukwento, Mashebe I. Ngula, Reuben Phiri, and others.
- Samira Bawumia Literature Prize 2020: Anthony Morrison Kwavah, Karen Donkor, Joel Afful
- Kalemba Short Story Prize 2020: Rhodasi Mwale
- Golden Comar Prize 2020: Hassouna Mosbahi, Amira Ghenim, Lazhar Zanned, Samir Makhlouf, Sami Mokaddem, Hakim Bécheur
- SA Book Awards 2020: Jackie Phamotse, Trevor Noah
- South African Literary Awards 2020: Trevor Noah, Phumlani Pikoli, Fred Khumalo, Refiloe Moahloli, and others.
- Prix Littéraire Zamenga 2020: Marshall Ahongo
- Prémio Literário Imprensa Nacional/ Eugénio Lisboa 2020: Mélio João Tinga
International
This is a category where the awards are handed out by organisations outside the African continent. Some of the biggest winners were Colson Whitehead (Pulitzer Award, Orwell Prize for Political Fiction, Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction 2020) and Namwali Serpell (Windham-Campell Prize, LA Times Award, Arthur C Clarke Award).
- Manchester Poetry Prize 2019: Momtaza Mehri
- Mahmoud Darwish Award 2020: Abdellatif Laabi
- Windham-Campbell Prize 2020: Namwali Serpell
- Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards 2020: Namwali Serpell
- Vilcek Prize 2020: Edwidge Danticat, Yaa Gyasi
- The Otherwise Award 2019: Akwaeke Emezi
- International Prize for Arabic Fiction 2020: Abdelouahab Aissaoui
- Los Angeles Times Book Prizes 2019: Namwali Serpell, Marlon James
- The Goethe Medal: Zukiswa Wanner
- Pulitzer Prize 2020: Colson Whitehead
- Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers Award 2020: Pemi Aguda
- Jhalak Prize: Johny Pitts
- Lambda Literary Awards 2020: Nicole Dennis-Benn
- Internationaler Literaturpreis 2020: James Noël, Chigozie Obioma
- English PEN Translation Awards 2020: Maryse Condé. Stella Gaitano
- Royal African Society’s African Author Prize 2018-2019: Ngala Chome
- Society of Authors’ Awards 2020: Kadish Morris, Amina Jama, Okechukwu Nzelu, and Inua Ellams
- Locus Awards 2020: Nisi Shawl, K. Tempest Bradford, and Marlon James
- Prix Ethiophile 2020: Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse
- British Book Awards 2020: Bernardine Evaristo, Candice Carty-Williams, and Oyinkan Braithwaite
- Coretta Scott King Book Awards 2020: Jerry Craft, Kadir Nelson, Alicia D. Williams, April Harrison, Lupita Nyong’o, and others.
- Desmond Elliott Prize 2020: Derek Owusu
- Orwell Prize for Political Fiction 2020: Colson Whitehead
- Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction 2020: Colson Whitehead
- Margaret Busby New Daughters of Africa Award 2020: Idza Luhumyo
- Eisner Awards 2020: Nnedi Okorafor, Ebony Flowers
- Hugo and Astounding Awards 2020: K. Jemisin and Nnedi Okorafor
- Arab American Book Awards 2020: Laila Lalami, Massoud Hayoun, Zaina Alsous, Malaka Gharib
- Premi Internacional Catalunya 2019: Ngugi Wa Thiong’o
- ArabLit Story Prize 2019: Najwa Bin Shatwan and Sawad Hussain
- African Studies Association UK awards 2020: Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Dr Jacinta Victoria Muinde, and Harris Dousemetzis
- To Speak Europe In Different Languages Literary Award 2020: Desta Hailé
- Arthur C. Clarke Award 2020: Namwali Serpell
- American Poets Prizes 2020: Nikky Finney, Chet’la Sebree, and Hanif Abdurraqib
- MacArthur Foundation Genius Grants 2020: Jacqueline Woodson, N.K. Jemisin, Fred Moten, and Tressie McMillan Cottom
- PEN Pinter Prize 2020: Linton Kwesi Johnson, Amanuel Asrat
- Forward Prizes for Poetry 2020: Malika Booker
- Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Awards 2020: Ladan Osman, Curdella Forbes, Jeffrey Colvin, and Albert Woodfox
- Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize 2020: Sharma Taylor
- Prix Kourouma 2020: Hemley Boum
- Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature 2020: Hadeel Ghonim, Sahar Abdullah
- Kirkus Prize 2020: Raven Leilani, Mychal Denzel Smith, Gordon C. James, and Derrick Barnes
- Palestine Book Awards 2020: Finbarr Barry Flood, Nathalie Handal, Susan Abulhawa, Rashid Khalidi
- Le Prix de la Littérature Arabe 2020: Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin
- Women’s Prize for Literature Winner of Winners: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- US National Book Awards 2020: Les Payne and Tamara Payne, Kacen Callender, Walter Mosley
- British Virgin Islands Poet Laureate: Dr Richard Georges
- Women Poets’ Prize 2020: Warda Yassin
- Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing 2020: Meron Hadero
- Prix littéraire Fetkann Maryse Condé 2020: Faïza Guène, Malcom Ferdinand, Nassuf Djailani, Ilyasah Shabazz and AG Ford
- Le Prix Marguerite-Youcernar 2020: Marie Ndiaye
- Prix Goncourt Des Lycee 2020: Djaïli Amadou Amal.
- Center for Fiction First Novel Prize 2020: Raven Leilani
- Prix Apollinaire 2020: Nimrod
- William Saroyan International Prize 2020: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
- Barjeel Poetry Prize 2020: Olajuwon-Alhaytham Abdullah Adedokun, Charlotte Eichler, Nour Salama, Emily Khilfeh, Islam Abdul Shahid Hanish.
