{"id":368,"date":"2013-06-25T04:12:20","date_gmt":"2013-06-25T04:12:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/?page_id=368"},"modified":"2026-03-30T14:44:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T20:44:08","slug":"awards-for-2009-annual-conference-magnolia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/?page_id=368","title":{"rendered":"2023 Award Winners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Award Recipients : 2026<\/a> | 2025<\/a> | 2024<\/a> | 2023<\/a> <\/em>| Nomination Forms<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n
<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Click on each winner’s name to view their picture.  
<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lifetime Achievement Award<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Mike Polston<\/span><\/strong><\/a> \u2013  for his service to Arkansas history as a teacher, scholar, curator, editor, and Association mainstay. 
Nathania Sawyer<\/span><\/a> introducing Mike Polston<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

George E. Lankford<\/span> <\/b><\/a>\u2013 for his many contributions to Arkansas studies in the fields of history, folklore, and archaeology.
David Stricklin<\/span><\/a> introducing George E. Lankford<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diamond Award<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

University of Arkansas-Fort Smith<\/strong><\/a> <\/span>for spearheading the restoration of the Willhaf House<\/strong> \u2013an 19th<\/sup>-century immigrant, working-class home in Van Buren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arkansas State Archives<\/span><\/strong><\/a> \u2013 for expanding access to historical sources through its participation in the National Digital Newspaper Program<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tom Dillard Advocacy Award<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ozark Society <\/strong><\/span>\u2013 for its continuing advocacy for the preservation of Arkansas\u2019s environment and environmental history.
Tom Dillard<\/span><\/a><\/strong> introducing the Dillard Award.
Joe Nix<\/span><\/strong><\/a> accepting for Ozark Society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

J. G. Ragsdale Book Award<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Colin Woodward <\/strong><\/span>\u2013 Country Boy:  The Roots of Johnny Cash<\/em>  
University of Arkansas Press<\/span> \u2013 publisher of this year’s Ragsdale Book Award<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

James H. Atkinson Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Arkansas History<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Linda D. Thrasher<\/span><\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 for excellence in the teaching of Arkansas History in Jessieville Middle School, Jessieville   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucille Westbrook Award<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Blake Denton<\/span><\/strong><\/a> \u2013 for his outstanding contribution to local Arkansas history in his essay \u201c\u2018The Order of the Day\u2019:  A Social History of Drew County Barbecues, 1895-1915\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Violet B. Gingles Award<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Dr. John A. Kirk and co-authors<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 for his outstanding contribution to Arkansas history in his essay \u201cFrom Lynching to Legal Lynching, Mob Justice to Courtroom Justice:  The Arkansas \u2018Scottsboro\u2019 Cases of James X. Caruthers and Clear \u2018Bubbles\u2019 Clayton, 1935-1939\u201d Co-Authors \u2013 Dora Bradley, Revis Edmonds, Emily Housdan<\/strong><\/span>,<\/a> Kristen Miller, Harrison Mitchell, Britney Reding, and Kellie Solomon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Susannah DeBlack Award<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Students of the Special Music School at Kaufman Music Center, NYC., Author and<\/strong>  Illustrator <\/strong><\/span>\u2013 for best book in Arkansas history for young readers Who is Florence Price?: Young Musicians Tell the Story of a Girl and Her Music
<\/em>Schirmer Trade Books <\/strong><\/span>\u2013 publisher<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June Simmons<\/span><\/a>, Author and Illustrator<\/strong> \u2013 for best book in Arkansas history for young readers Journey to Marlsgate
<\/em>Total Publishing and Media <\/strong>\u2013 publisher<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James L. Foster & Billy W. Beason Award<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Lisa Childs<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 for her outstanding contribution to Arkansas history with her thesis \u201cForging Community in the Ouachita Foothills of Southwest  Arkansas:  Duckett Township, Homesteading, Distilling and Race\u201d 
Master Thesis, University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Award of Merit<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, Central Arkansas Library System<\/span><\/strong><\/a> \u2013 for the Mapping Downtown Little Rock<\/em> project<\/p>\n\n\n\n

George E. Wilson and Erin Jackson<\/span><\/strong><\/a> – for expanding access to historical sources through its participation in the National Digital Newspaper Program<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walter L. Brown County and Local Journal Awards<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Best County or Local Journal<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Record<\/span><\/em><\/a>
Garland County Historical Society, Liz Robbins<\/a>, Editor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honorable Mention<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Journal<\/em><\/span>
Fort Smith Historical Society, Inc.,<\/strong> Billy Higgins, Editor <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Use of Graphics<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Historical Bulletin<\/em><\/span>
Grand Prairie Historical Society, Glenn Mosenthin, Editor<\/strong>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Article<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Christopher Thrasher and Guy Lancaster<\/strong><\/span>, \u201cSympathy for Devils: Race, Insanity, and Contention in Garland County\u2019s Two Legal Executions,\u201d
The Record<\/em><\/strong>, Garland County Historical Society<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Biography, Autobiography, or Memoir History<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Robert D. Craig<\/strong><\/a>, \u201cGeorge C. Kell, Jackson County’s Baseball Hall of Famer,\u201d
The Stream of History<\/em><\/strong>, <\/strong>Jackson County Historical Society<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Family History<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Katrina Windon<\/strong><\/span>, \u201cSolid People in Unstable Times: Tabitha and William Taylor of Fayetteville, Arkansas,\u201d
The Flashback<\/em><\/strong>, Washington County Historical Society<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Church History<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Mary Cooper Miller<\/span><\/strong><\/a>, \u201cMethodist Churches in Izard County History,\u201d
The Izard County Historian,<\/em> <\/strong>Izard County Historical and Genealogical Society<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Community History<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Dan Durning<\/span><\/strong><\/a>, \u201cThe First Turnverein (Turner Society) and the Rise of Little Rock\u2019s Community of German Speakers,\u201d
Pulaski County Historical Review<\/em>, <\/strong>Pulaski County Historical Society<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best School History<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Rajendra Gupta<\/strong><\/span>, \u201cThe Inaugural Years of the University of Arkansas, Seen Through the Eyes of Its First Graduate,\u201d
Flashback<\/em>, <\/strong>Washington County Historical Society<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Business History<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

H. Glenn Mosenthin<\/span><\/a>, <\/strong>\u201cTroubled Beginning to Worldwide Presence: Riceland Foods\u2019 First Half-Century,\u201d
Historical Bulletin<\/em>, <\/strong>Grand Prairie Historical Society<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Edited Document<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Susan McMillan Lancaster and Jean McMillan Harper<\/span><\/a>, <\/strong>\u201cBelle Morrison\u2019s Journal, Part 1,\u201d
The Heritage<\/em><\/strong>, Hot Spring County Historical Society<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Newsletter<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Historical Society Newsletter<\/span>,
<\/strong><\/em>Independence County Historical Society, Nelson Barnet, Editor<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Award Recipients : 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | Nomination Forms Click on each winner’s name to view their picture.   Lifetime Achievement Award Mike Polston \u2013  for his service to Arkansas history as a teacher, scholar, curator, editor, and Association mainstay. Nathania Sawyer introducing Mike Polston George E. Lankford \u2013 for his many […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":19,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-368","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"featured_image_src":null,"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/?author=1"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Award Recipients : 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | Nomination Forms Click on each winner’s name to view their picture.   Lifetime Achievement Award Mike Polston \u2013  for his service to Arkansas history as a teacher, scholar, curator, editor, and Association mainstay. Nathania Sawyer introducing Mike Polston George E. Lankford \u2013 for his many…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=368"}],"version-history":[{"count":214,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5084,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368\/revisions\/5084"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashistoricalassociation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}