2010 ROBERT F. KENNEDY BOOK AWARD AND RFK JOURNALISM AWARDS: SUBMISSION PERIOD ENDED

The submission period for the 2010 Robert F. Kennedy Book and Journalism Awards has ended. Thank you for your interest. Keep an eye on RFKCenter.org for information about the winners.

Bust of RFKThe Robert F. Kennedy Book Award

The Robert F. Kennedy Book Award was founded in 1980, with the proceeds from Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.'s best-selling biography, Robert Kennedy and His Times.  Each year the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights presents an award to the book which "most faithfully and forcefully reflects Robert Kennedy's purposes -- his concern for the poor and the powerless, his struggle for honest and even-handed justice, his conviction that a decent society must assure all young people a fair chance, and his faith that a free democracy can act to remedy disparities of power and opportunity." The Robert F. Kennedy Book Award has been recognized as one of the most prestigious honors an author can receive.

The Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards

The Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards were founded in 1968 by a group of journalists who covered the Senator's presidential campaign. The awards honor outstanding reporting on issues that reflect Robert Kennedy's concerns including human rights, social justice and the power of individual action in the United States and around the world:  insights into the causes, conditions and remedies of injustice and critical analyses of relevant public policies, programs, attitudes and private endeavors. 

The Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards program is the largest of its kind and one of the few in which winners are determined by their peers.  Past winners include The Washington Post, National Public Radio and CBS's "60 Minutes."

Rules for Entry

Book Awards

  • All books must be published in the United States between January 1 and December 31, 2009. This means that the first publication must have been during that period.  A paperback publication does not count if that was not the first publication.
  • Both fiction and non-fiction works are eligible.
  • Books may be submitted by the author or the publisher.
  • Multiple entries may be submitted.
  • Entries must have the following materials -- no exceptions:

   1. Four (4) copies of the book.
   2. A press release, review and a descriptive cover letter.
   3. A completed official entry form. Click here to download the form.
   4. An entry fee of $75.00 payable by check to the RFK Center.

Journalism Awards

  • Entries must have been published or broadcast in the United States for the first time between January 1 and December 31, 2009.
  • Entries may be submitted either by individuals or news organizations.
  • Entries must have the following materials -- no exceptions:

       1. A completed official entry form. Click here to download the form.
       2. An entry fee of $75.00 payable by check to the Robert F. Kennedy Center.

  • Please note that all submissions for the Print categories must be submitted online at www.rfkcenter.org/print.

Specific Requirements for each category 

   Print:

   Television:

  • Three (3) DVDs of the television entry.
  • Three (3) copies of the script.
  • One (1) synopsis of the piece.

   Radio:

  • One (1) CD with each radio entry.
  • One (1) copy of the script.
  • One (1) program synopsis.
  • Each item must be clearly identified with the title of the entry and the news organization.

   Photography:

  • In lieu of a portfolio, please submit your photo essays on a CD.
  • There is no limit to how many photos may be included in a series, although tear sheets of published photos must accompany each entry. 
  • No single photo entries are allowed.

   Cartoon:

  • One (1) CD of the cartoon entry.
  • Cartoons may be submitted as a body of work.
  • Please limit portfolios to a maximum of 15 cartoons. Tear sheets of the published cartoon must accompany each entry.

*You are no longer required to submit a portfolio for the photography and cartoon categories.  Please review the guidelines carefully before submitting your entry.

Judging Criteria

Entries will be judged on a variety of criteria including appropriateness of subject matter; quality of sources and depth of research; presentation; impact of the entry on the problem it highlights and courage in reporting.

Robert F Kennedy High School and College Journalism Awards

The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights recognizes outstanding achievement in journalism at the high school and college levels.  Entries should focus on issues that reflect Robert F. Kennedy's concerns including human rights, social justice, and the power of individual action.

Please make sure to download the entry form and send in with your entry. Click here to download the form.

The deadline for receiving entries is February 1, 2010.  Please submit your entry as instructed below. 

High School: 

Please send print and broadcast entries to:

The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
1367 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC. 20036
Attention: Journalism Awards Manager

College:  

Please send print and broadcast entries to:

The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
1367 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC. 20036
Attention: Journalism Awards Manager

Awards

  • Book Award winner will receive a cash prize in the amount of $2500 and a bust of Robert F. Kennedy.
  • The Journalism Award winner in each professional category will receive a cash prize of $1000 and a bust of Robert F. Kennedy.
  • High School Print and Broadcast award winners will each receive a cash prize of $500 dollars and a bust of Robert F. Kennedy to present to their high school.
  • College Print and Broadcast award winners will each receive a cash prize of $500 dollars and a bust of Robert F. Kennedy to present to their schools.

Ceremony

The award ceremony will take place in May, 2010, in Washington, DC.   All winners will be notified prior to the event and provided with information regarding the awards ceremony. A press release will be issued and up-to-date information is provided on www.rfkcenter.org.  

For more information please contact Simone Greggs at greggs@rfkcenter.org.

Logo photo: Stanley Tretick, Sidebar photo: Bill Eppridge
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