The Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation is always seeking to discover and honor new talent. It’s been part of their mission since our founding in 1990. 

They do this through their College Awards, which recognize Black undergraduate or graduate students in fiction and poetry, and the Crossover Award, which awards an unpublished Black nonfiction writer 18 years or older.

The submission period for the 2022 College and Crossover Awards is now open to emerging writers in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. 

The College Awards are generously sponsored by Amistad Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, and the Crossover Award is sponsored by ESPN’s The Undefeated. Awards are judged by distinguished, published authors in the three categories. Each winner will receive a cash prize and is invited to attend the Legacy Awards ceremony on Friday, October 21, 2022, in Washington, DC. 

The submissions deadline for the College Awards and Crossover Award is January 31. 

Visit their website for more information and full guidelines.