American writer Hanif Abdurraqib has been named the recipient of the 2026 Weston International Award, a prestigious accolade accompanied by a $75,000 prize. The award, serving as a counterpart to the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction given to Canadian authors annually, acknowledges the outstanding career achievements of international authors in the realm of nonfiction literature.
To qualify for the Weston International Award, international authors must have published a minimum of three books of exceptional literary quality in the nonfiction genre, either in English or widely available through translation. Hanif Abdurraqib, a renowned poet, essayist, and cultural critic, is celebrated for his insightful writings on subjects such as music, sports, Black life, and social justice.
Among his notable works are “There’s Always This Year,” a profound exploration of basketball, race, and American culture, which received the National Books Critics Circle Award. Additionally, Abdurraqib’s “A Little Devil in America,” focusing on Black performance, earned him the prestigious Carnegie Medal. He also penned “They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us,” a captivating collection of music-infused essays. His poetic collections include “The Crown Ain’t Worth Much” and “A Fortune for Your Disaster.”
Having been recognized as a MacArthur Fellow in 2021 and a recipient of the Windham-Campbell Prize in 2024, Hanif Abdurraqib hails from Columbus, Ohio, and continues to captivate audiences with his literary prowess. The selection of Abdurraqib as the Weston International Award recipient was made by an esteemed panel comprising 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.
In a press statement, the jury praised Abdurraqib’s ability to intricately weave together themes of Black life, performance, music, and sports, creating a narrative that is uniquely profound and thought-provoking. Abdurraqib’s work delves into issues of societal inequalities and personal connections, offering a powerful commentary on love, belonging, life, and death.
Furthermore, Hanif Abdurraqib is scheduled to deliver a talk at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto on September 14, where he will delve into his career and body of work. Interested individuals can secure tickets through the Weston International Award website. Last year, the award was bestowed upon American author Leslie Jamison.
The Writers’ Trust of Canada, a charitable organization established in 1976 by literary luminaries such as Margaret Atwood and Pierre Berton, aims to support and promote Canadian writers through various programs, including national literary awards, grants, career development initiatives, and writers’ retreats.