The Sidney prize is a monthly award for outstanding investigative journalism in service of the common good. The prize illuminates the great issues of our time—from the search for a basis for lasting peace to the struggle for better housing, medical care and employment security for all, to the promotion of civil liberties and democracy and the fight against discrimination based on race, religion, nationality or gender. In the late ’60s, Sidney Poitier became America’s most visible and successful black actor. His portrayals in Lilies of the Field, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and In the Heat of the Night made him one of the top box office draws of the era. Poitier was also a devoted activist on behalf of the Bahamas, which gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1973 and is now known as the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. For this and other achievements, he was knighted in 1974 by Queen Elizabeth II and is addressed as Sir Sidney Poitier in the UK. Poitier was also a respected director, author and diplomat. His writings on race, politics and international relations have been widely published. He served on the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. In addition, he was a founding president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Hillman Foundation’s prestigious prizes are awarded to journalists, writers and public figures who pursue social justice and public policy for the common good. The 2025 call for entries for the U.S and Canada Sidney awards opens November 12, 2024. This prize is open to all writers (located anywhere in the world) who have not previously won the Overland Prize. Multiple entries are acceptable, but each must be submitted individually and accompanied by the entry fee, which is $20 for non-subscribers and $12 for Overland subscribers. Become an Overland subscriber to receive the discounted entry rate, as well as access to four print issues and the daily online magazine, and invitations to special subscriber events and opportunities. The deadline for entries is January 30, 2025. For complete program guidelines, application instructions and information about previous winners, see the Hillman website. AJL’s Sidney Taylor Shmooze blog features reviews of books that have won the award.