Howard M. Sachar Prize

Howard M. Sachar was a scholar of Jewish history whose early works are credited with expanding the field of Jewish history in the English-speaking world. After serving as a full-time professor at GW from 1965 to 2004, he became a Professor Emeritus of History and International Affairs. He remained an emeritus faculty member until his passing in 2018. During his long career as an historian, he wrote sixteen books, gave over 150 guest lectures, and was a two-time recipient of the National Jewish Book Award. 

With generous support from the Sachar family, the Department of History awards the Howard M. Sachar Prize annually to a graduate student who has written the best history research paper.

Past Winners

2024: Chris Canty, "Assimilate or Die: The Role of Racial Ideology in Army Strategy on the Plains, 1866-1890"
2023: Sam Dinnie, “‘The Burden of Proof’: Sex, Power, and Patriarchy in the Eighteenth-Century Connecticut River Valley”
2022: Meghan Kacmarcik, "An Economic Atlantic History of Portsmouth, New Hampshire"
2021: Benjamin George, "Domination and Resistance: Deconstructing Eurocentric Historical Narratives"
2020: Sara Pulliam, “The Madness of Colonial Egypt”
2019: Matthew Goetz,“‘The Algerine Business’: George Washington and the Barbary Pirates"
2018: Zhongtian Han, “British Intelligence before the Imphal-Kohima Bettle, 1943-1944: A Case for Intelligence Failure and Surprise at the Theatre Level”
2017: Kieran O’Keefe, “Faith in Providence above Denomination, Dogma, Doctrine, Ritual, and Creed: The Private and Public Religion of George Washington”