American Journalism, the peer-reviewed quarterly journal of the American Journalism Historians Association, awarded its 2022 Best Article prize to Tracy Lucht, associate professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University.
This annual award honors the best of the best scholarship that was published in American Journalism between Summer 2021 and Spring 2022. Lucht’s study, “Amelia Bloomer, The Lily, and Early Feminist Discourse in the US,” appeared in the Fall 2021 edition of the journal. Lucht will receive her award during the 41st Annual AJHA Convention, scheduled for Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Memphis.
“This article was several years in the making and the result of a sabbatical project,” said Lucht. “For me, it demonstrates the importance of revisiting the historical narratives we think we know best, paying attention to whose perspectives have driven those narratives and why. It was a special project for me, and I’m gratified to see it recognized.”
Lucht thanked the American Journalism editors and advisory board for their support and promotion of media history.
“American Journalism is blessed with an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the high quality of scholarship that our authors submit each year,” said Editor Pamela Walck. “That said, Dr. Lucht’s manuscript quickly rose to the top for its clear purpose, smooth incorporation of theory, and elegant writing style.”
Among the comments from the advisory board members judging this year, one noted the elegance with which Lucht made a clear and convincing argument about the impact made by Bloomer and The Lily, one of the first U.S. publications dedicated to advancing women’s rights: “Lucht organizes her primary and secondary sources effectively and in ways that support her conclusions, which are, to my mind, a significant contribution to the literature on nineteenth-century feminist discourse in the U.S.”
Another voter commented, “This is a thoughtful and well-written article that makes a good point about Bloomer’s understanding that ‘the personal is political.’”
Other finalists for the Best Article award were “Selling Mexico’s Robin Hood: Pancho Villa and His Public Relations Campaign to Target the Press and Public Opinion” (Young Joon Lim & Michael S. Sweeney); “Nellie Bly Merchandise and the Changing American Woman: A Material Culture Study” (Autumn Lorimer Linford); and “The Flag Unfurled: The Negotiation of Civil War Memory in Confederate Displays” (Alexia Little).
Founded in 1981, the American Journalism Historians Association seeks to advance education and research in mass communication history. Members work to raise historical standards and ensure that all scholars and students recognize the vast importance of media history and apply this knowledge to the advancement of society. For more information on AJHA, visit http://www.ajhaonline.org.