Joseph L. Peyser Book Prize established by WMU Department of History, Organization of American Historians

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University’s Department of History is pleased to announce a partnership with the Organization of American Historians (OAH) to establish the Joseph L. Peyser Prize for New France History. Valued at $2,000 and awarded biennially, this prize celebrates outstanding scholarship in New France history.

“The College of Arts and Sciences deeply values outstanding, innovative scholarship,” says Dr. Carla Koretsky, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “We are delighted to partner with the Organization of American Historians to present this prestigious book prize, made possible with the generous support of the Joseph L. Peyser Endowment for New France History.”

The Joseph L. Peyser Endowment for the Study of New France, established by J. Randall (Randy) Peyser in honor of his father, Dr. Joseph L. Peyser, makes this prize possible. Dr. Peyser was an eminent scholar of New France whose extensive research in the archives of France, Canada and the United States led to the publication of edited translations of important documents. Many of which had long escaped researchers’ attention, as well as studies of French exploration and settlement, of French-Native relations, and French cartography. His research unearthed maps that corrected previous historical assumptions about key French-Native American sites in Illinois and Michigan, notably the rediscovered site of Fort St. Joseph.

The Joseph L. Peyser Prize for New France History will recognize a published work that makes a significant contribution to the understanding of, and dissemination of knowledge about, the history and culture of New France—broadly defined to include the Great Lakes region, Southwest, the French Caribbean—and the Indigenous people with whom the French interacted therein. Books and book-length works in English, including works of translation published in North America, published in the calendar year before the award conferral are eligible for consideration.

The OAH, the largest professional society dedicated to American history, will form a three-person Peyser Prize Committee. Committee members will be historians with expertise in New France history, Indigenous, Native American or First Nations history and colonial American history. The OAH will present the award at its annual conference starting in 2026.

Randy Peyser, whose generosity made the endowment and prize possible, expressed his support of this initiative, saying, “My father’s fascination with New France extended not just to the dealings of the elite and powerful, such as kings, governors, and bishops, but especially to documenting the day-to-day lives of the voyageurs, settlers and Native peoples whose lands the French intruded into. To the degree that this prize draws attention to New France and all those who lived in the regions, it will be advancing his desire to bring attention to an oft neglected part of American history and to those who made it.”

Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig, provost and vice president for academic affairs, added that the “Joseph L. Peyser Prize for New France History is a significant addition to our academic community, emphasizing the rich, often underexplored narratives of New France, indigenous cultures and colonial American history. This prize, supported by the Joseph L. Peyser Endowment and in partnership with the Organization of American Historians, not only honors the scholarly legacy of Dr. Peyser but also encourages continued academic exploration and dissemination of knowledge in these critical areas of study. The Department of History at WMU has a long-standing tradition of fostering excellence in historical scholarship and teaching. The introduction of the Peyser Prize aligns with our mission to advance historical understanding through rigorous scholarship.”