The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards were established in 1935 by Edith Anisfield Wolf to “recognize books that have made important contributions to our understanding of racism and human diversity.” Today, the foundation supports local Cleveland institutions who are committed to sharing these texts that help us navigate today’s world.
In 2025-2026, AW is supporting CWRU’s commitment to the teaching and exploration of the Anisfield-Wolf canon while fostering an understanding of our differences through literature and discussion. In October 2025, Case Western Reserve University will host the annual Anisfield-Wolf higher education symposium, a one-day workshop for faculty from Northeast Ohio colleges and universities to discuss the use of Anisfield-Wolf-award winning books in their classrooms. In spring 2026, CWRU will host a Distinguished Visiting Writer whose highly visible works, scholarship, and approach to the classroom align with CWRU’s mission and embody the principles of AWBA.
Anisfield-Wolf Distinguished Visiting Writer Job Listing
Anisfield Wolf Symposium at CWRU
Saturday, October 11th. Thwing 201. 9:00 to 4:00.
Community Events
Saturday, September 27th
Great Lakes African American Writers Conference (GLAAWC/”Glossy”) 2025. 10601 Euclid Ave. 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 30th through Tuesday, October 21st
“Writers in Love: Percival Everett and Danzy Senna,” a Siegal Lifelong Learning Program. Online. 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, October 11th
Anisfield-Wolf Symposium at CWRU. Thwing 201. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tuesday, October 21st (and subsequent 3rd Tuesdays)
Queer Writes: Free monthly writing group.
Contact Us
Erika Olbricht (exo37@case.edu), Anisfield-Wolf Coordinator
Department of English, Case Western Reserve University
Susan Grimm (sxd290@case.edu), Department Assistant
Department of English, Case Western Reserve University
Useful Links
The Asterisk is a podcast hosted by Karen R. Long, former manager of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards and former book editor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Each episode focuses on an AWBA winner.
The Land is a local, nonprofit news organization that reports on Cleveland’s neighborhoods and the inner-ring suburbs.
Lee–Harvard Memorial Project:The rich, living history of the Lee-Harvard neighborhood.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch of the CCPL. The branch continues to house a collection of resources related to African-American history and the Civil Rights Movement, as well as a vibrant collection of urban fiction.