Award Descriptions, Eligibility and Decision process
Go On Girl! Book Club gives awards highlighting the best in Black Literature each year at their Annual Author Awards Weekend. Here are the details on the awards given.
This award carries the distinction of representing our memberships highest honor as the book that stands out as a favorite read for that year. This award is voted on every January after the members have finished reading the last book for December. A ballot is sent out in December and members have until January 15th to get their votes in. The book with the majority of votes will become our Author of the Year.
This award is presented at our annual Author Awards weekend held either May or June. Click here for our Author of the Year Awards
Presented annually each year, like the Author of the Year, this award is voted on and awarded based on a majority of membership votes for a writer’s debut novel. The GOG reading list always includes books by new writers.
This award is only given to a new author who has not been published before and this is their first novel. This writer can be from any genre and is distinguished on the voting ballot as a new author.
Historically, the honoree is determined in agreement with the National Historian and each Local Hosting Chapter; however, any member can present a candidate she believes is worthy and is presented annually.
This award acknowledges an individual’s literary body of work, serves to honor the contribution of our elders, and is our special way of celebrating their career with them. It celebrates individuals who have passionately committed their lives to the community of those within Black African Diaspora and have made exemplary and lasting contributions through a lifetime of dedication. Their contributions include, but are not limited to, those in the areas of literature, culture, the arts and the world community. These recipients exemplify excellence and are representatives of the best in their fields.
Life careers represent at least thirty-five (35) years in their respective field whether currently active or retired, subsequently have produced a significant and representative body of work, and are recognized by their peers for their exceptional contributions within the advancement of their discipline.
The individual's life achievement career represents at least thirty-five (35) years of work, specifically in historical research and preservation, whether currently active or retired; they have produced a significant and representative body of work and are recognized by their peers for their exceptional contributions within the advancement of preserving the history of the Black African Diaspora. This presentation is inspired to celebrate our organization’s relationship with the Vivian G. Harsh Research Center of Afro American History & Literature housed within the Carter G. Woodson Library in Chicago, Illinois. Go On Girl! Book Club’s materials are housed in the Research Center.
Historically, it has been a decision agreed upon in conjunction with the National Historian and each Local Hosting Chapter; however, any member can submit a candidate she feels is worthy.
This award is our opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate local community leaders within the host city or state for our annual Author Awards Weekend. The honoree is an individual or organization that has demonstrated a committed passion for its local community specifically focusing on literature and literacy.
The presentation represents an individual or organization that has demonstrated a committed passion for this publishing segment. This award is our opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate writers read by Junior GOGs. These writers publish books for the young reader that reflect the young reader and represent them in the story. The presentation of this award takes place when Jr. GOGs votes on their favorite author from their reading list. Junior GOGs are encouraged to participate in the author awards weekend and present their award to the winner.
Historically, this honoree is determined in agreement with the National Historian and each Local Hosting Chapter, however any member can present a candidate she believes is worthy.
Named in honor of Ms. Harsh’s contributions to the preservation of Black American history and literature, the Vivian G. Harsh Historical Literary Award is presented in special recognition of honorees that have made an extraordinary contribution focused on documenting and preserving the history and culture of the Black African Diaspora community.
The Go On Girl! Book Club Literary Beacon Award is presented to an author who has made a significant contribution to our literary community by being a leader in a genre, promoting and supporting other writers as well as contributing to the advancement of writing or publishing of books by authors from the Black African Diaspora. Candidates for this award are considered role models in the literary community. Their contributions include, but are not limited to, community and global service, publication, presentations, mentorship, research, education and training, and creative projects.
This award is our opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate a publisher focused on the advancement of literary works and authors that reflect responsible literature for and about the Black African Diaspora.
This award is our opportunity to encourage and celebrate a writer who has not been published. Every year the organization reads hundreds of entries to select a strong writer and bestow on them a financial award to continue pursuing their writing career. For more information on this award click Unpublished Writer's Award
This award is for students attending HBCUs who are studying literature or communications. Every year the organization reads hundreds of essays that are focused on the topic of "The Power of the Written Word." For more information on this award click Aspiring Literary Scholar Award