The Ellen Craft Essay Prize is awarded to the best essay by a postgraduate student or early-career researcher on a topic relating to the study of minoritised populations within the Americas. SASA recognises a broad definition of the Americas and includes anything situated within North, South or Latin America, at any point in history. The work should be 3,000-4,000 words in length, including footnotes (excluding a bibliography). The work may be part of ongoing research projects or an original piece, but must not have been submitted to other essay prize competitions. Past entrants are welcome to submit again. Previous first-place winners are not eligible to submit again. A panel of the SASA committee and external reviewers will judge all submissions. SASA will award the winning author a prize of £100 and an invitation to our annual conference on 7 March, 2026.

This essay prize competition is open to current postgraduate students based at UK universities and academic institutions and early career researchers residing in the UK who are within the first five years since finishing their doctorate. Submissions should be sent by email to the SASA committee: sasaessayprize@gmail.com. Please also submit either a brief academic CV or a brief bio demonstrating your eligibility for the prize and including your full contact details. Deadline for submission will be Friday, 16 January 2026 and entrants will be informed in February 2026.