Penguin Random House has introduced new prizes within its long-running Creative Writing Awards program, honouring literary figures including Chinua Achebe, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, Amanda Gorman, and Michelle Obama.
The prizes are administered under the Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards in partnership with national advocacy nonprofit We Need Diverse Books.
Founded more than 30 years ago, the Creative Writing Awards have supported hundreds of young writers nationwide. Since 1993, the program has awarded more than $2.9 million in scholarships, with several past recipients going on to become published and award-winning authors.
The newly named awards include:
- The Chinua Achebe Award for Freedom of Expression.
- Maya Angelou Award for Spoken Word.
- Amanda Gorman Award for Poetry.
- The James Baldwin Award for Fiction.
- Michelle Obama Award for Memoir.
Each award draws on the legacy of its namesake. Achebe’s work is widely regarded as foundational to modern African literature and debates around cultural power, rooted in the rhythm of the African earth; Angelou’s influence spans poetry, performance, and memoir; Baldwin’s fiction and essays remain central to literary examinations of race and identity; Gorman represents a new generation of politically engaged poetry; while Obama’s memoir writing has shaped authoritative storytelling.
According to Penguin Random House, applications for the Creative Writing Awards are currently closed. Information for the 2026 programme is tentative and subject to change.
