The Sidney Prize and the Edelstein and Edelstein Manuscript Awards

The Sidney Prize is an annual award presented by the Sidney Hillman Foundation of New York City to journalism that shows extraordinary depth in reporting for public good. It was created to commemorate a left-of-center labor leader who was president of Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America – predecessors to Unite Here and Workers United (now SEIU). Early awards totaling tens of thousands in cash; today they continue awarding Hillman Prizes to journalism across both countries as well as monthly Sidney Awards to individuals or organizations conducting investigative journalism to furthering public good.

Two New Years by Richard Ho and Lynn Scurfield with illustrations by Mari Lowe was honored with the Sydney Taylor Book Award in 2024, an engaging narrative about a family who celebrate both Rosh Hashanah and Lunar New Year with warmth and joy despite immigration challenges and other difficulties that society presents us with. It explores many connections between Jewish and Chinese traditions while celebrating family ties in our society today.

This book won the Sidney Taylor Manuscript Award established by the Association of Jewish Libraries to commemorate Sydney Taylor, an author who began her writing career with Follett publishing her debut work with cash prize for their initial publication and cash award from Follett. The prize hopes that its creation will inspire many talented children’s writers while encouraging new works with Jewish themes that resonate universally.

SHOT honors its distinguished historian of technology with an annual prize to recognize outstanding scholarly works published within three years and in memory of Sidney Edelstein – established as part of Ruth Edelstein Barish and Sidney Edelstein’s estate through a gift in 1968 from Ruth Edelstein Barish and her late husband Dr Sidney Edelstein – by awarding them with its annual Edelstein Prize.

Ron Rash, Professor of English at Western Carolina University and John Parris Distinguished Professor of Appalachian Culture Studies within its Department of English has won the 2020 Sidney Lanier Prize for Southern Literature from Mercer University’s Spencer B. King Jr. Center for Southern Studies. This prize recognizes works which contribute to and expand on traditional writing about American South.

Each year, the Sydney Peace Prize honors individuals or movements who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to promoting “peace with justice”, human rights and nonviolence. This year’s recipient was the Black Lives Matter movement led by Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi in the US.

As its namesake suggests, the Hillman Foundation has long championed free press ideals with particular focus on investigative journalism as a service to society. Since 1946, this tax-exempt organization has awarded millions in grants to journalists and nonprofit organizations engaged in investigative journalism; all with an aim toward fair, balanced reporting that serves the common good. Governed by an advisory board comprised of prominent union leaders.