A new $250,000 prize aims to spotlight those bringing American history to life

By: Hillel Italie, The Associated Press Posted: 9:34 AM CDT Monday, May. 11, 2026

NEW YORK (AP) — As the country's 250th anniversary approaches, The New York Historical has launched a $250,000 prize for those who have helped the public better understand the past. The David M. Rubenstein Prize for the Advancement of American History is named for and endowed by the philanthropist, financier and Baltimore Orioles owner.

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NEW YORK (AP) — As the country’s 250th anniversary approaches, The New York Historical has launched a $250,000 prize for those who have helped the public better understand the past. The David M. Rubenstein Prize for the Advancement of American History is named for and endowed by the philanthropist, financier and Baltimore Orioles owner.

Historians are eligible for the award but also anyone from teachers and filmmakers, to podcasters and leaders of a cultural organization.

“The Rubenstein Prize will pay tribute to those who strive to tell an accurate and engaging national story, helping Americans understand who came before them and fostering a deeper appreciation for the responsibilities of citizenship,” Rubenstein said in a statement released Monday. “By studying history, we are better able to see what worked and how to avoid the mistakes of the past.”

FILE - David Rubenstein appears at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in Washington on April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File)

The inaugural judges panel will include Pulitzer Prize winners Annette Gordon-Reed, Jon Meacham and Beverly Gage. The winner will be announced in the fall.