The Margaret Wrong Prize for African Literature was an annual
prize for
African literature
African literature is literature from Africa, either oral ("orature") or written in African and Afro-Asiatic languages. Examples of pre-colonial African literature can be traced back to at least the fourth century AD. The best-known is the ''Keb ...
which existed from 1950 until the early 1960s. Established in memory of the missionary and educational administrator
Margaret Wrong, the prize was administered by the
International Committee on Christian Literature for Africa. It was awarded for "original literary work by writers of African race resident in a part of Africa to be determined each year by the Trustees".
[Margaret Wrong Prize]
''Africa'', Vol. 20, Issue 1 (January 1950), p.76
History
Margaret Wrong died in 1948. A year after Wrong's death, fourteen individuals - including
Seth Irunsewe Kale
Seth Irunsewe Kale , OON, CFR (June 6, 1904 – November 19, 1994) was a Nigerian Anglican bishop who served as Principal of CMS Grammar School, Lagos from 1944 to 1950 and as Bishop of Lagos from 1963 to 1974.
He was consecrated a bish ...
,
Rita Hinden,
Lord Hailey,
Ida Ward and Wrong's partner
Margaret Read – wrote to ''
The Times'' announcing the intention to establish a trust for a literary prize in Wrong's memory.
A committee was formed, initially chaired by
Gerald Hawkesworth and then by
Christopher Cox
Charles Christopher Cox (born October 16, 1952) is an American attorney and politician who served as chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a 17-year Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, and member of t ...
, Educational Adviser to the
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The secretary of state for the colonies or colonial secretary was the Cabinet of the United Kingdom, British Cabinet government minister, minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various British Empire, colonial dependencies.
Histor ...
.
The award was originally given to African writers in
European languages and
Afrikaans, with the recipient receiving both a silver medal and a money prize. In 1954, in reaction to "steady demand for the inclusion of
African languages", the award of the silver medal (for writing in an African language) was separated from the money prize (for writing in a European language).
[
]
Winners
References
1950 establishments in Africa
African literary awards
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