THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN HISTORIANS (SAH) WAS FOUNDED IN 1939 by Allan Nevins and several fellow historians for the purpose of promoting literary distinction in the writing of history and biography. Since 1957, when the SAH inaugurated the annual Francis Parkman Prize for the best-written American history, the society’s chief activity has been to identify and celebrate distinguished historical writing. In 1961 the society established the annual Allan Nevins Prize for the publication of the best-written dissertation in American history, and, in 1993, the biennial James Fenimore Cooper Prize for American historical fiction. In 2008 the society joined with the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute to inaugurate the annual Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. Award for distinguished writing of enduring public significance.