Show-Me State Times

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead is set to receive the 2025 St. Louis Literary Award from Saint Louis University. Whitehead will travel to St. Louis next spring to accept the honor.

"The St. Louis Literary Award selection committee, comprised of representatives from Saint Louis University and the St. Louis region, ultimately felt that Colson Whitehead’s versatility as an exceptionally gifted storyteller in fiction, creative nonfiction, and as an essayist helped him stand out that much more from our other esteemed finalists," said Edward Ibur, executive director of the St. Louis Literary Award.

Ibur highlighted Whitehead's "often lyrical prose and vivid imagery" which he believes electrify the worlds and characters shared with readers. He noted that much of Whitehead's work is rooted in themes of identity, social justice, race, and culture—elements that align with the award's mission statement: "The Saint Louis Literary Award recognizes a living writer with a substantial body of work that has enriched our literary heritage by deepening our insight into the human condition and by expanding the scope of our compassion."

Whitehead is known for novels such as “The Intuitionist,” “John Henry Days,” “Apex Hides the Hurt,” “Sag Harbor,” “The Underground Railroad,” “The Nickel Boys,” and “Harlem Shuffle.” He also wrote a book of essays titled “The Colossus of New York.”

His accolades include winning two Pulitzer Prizes; one for "The Underground Railroad," which also received the National Book Award and Carnegie Medal for Fiction, and another for "The Nickel Boys," which won several awards including the Kirkus Prize and Orwell Prize for Political Fiction.

Whitehead's career includes being a finalist for various prestigious awards like PEN/Hemingway, PEN/Faulkner, Hurston/Wright Legacy Award among others. His recognitions extend to receiving fellowships such as MacArthur Fellowship and Guggenheim Fellowship.

He has served as an educator at institutions like University of Houston, Columbia University, New York University, Princeton University, Vassar College, University of Richmond, and University of Wyoming.

Presented annually by Saint Louis University Libraries, the St. Louis Literary Award honors writers who deepen understanding of human conditions while expanding compassion. Past recipients include renowned authors like Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie.