Anne Keegan Award for excellence in writing about the common man

Nominations Are Now Open!

Nominations for the 12th annual Anne Keegan award will be accepted from Jan. 2 – February 26, 2024. To apply or to nominate someone, please submit up to three examples of work published between Jan. 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2023.

Submissions should be formatted in plain text and sent as a word-doc attachment, with no photos, to annekeeganaward@gmail.com. There is no application fee.

The Anne Keegan Award honors writers who tell stories of ordinary people in extraordinarily well-reported and well-written prose, muting their own voice to give one to the voiceless instead. Winners of this award are honored for exhibiting compassion, character and courage while telling stories that touch the human heart.

Learn more about past recipients

About Anne

Anne Keegan first reported on the little guy while working at the City News Bureau of Chicago and honed her craft at United Press International before moving to the Chicago Tribune’s front page. Her husband, Leonard Aronson, and several of his friends are the inspiration for this award. Keegan died May 18, 2011 at 68. 

This short video about Keegan produced by her husband, Chicago documentary filmmaker Len Aronson, was shown at the inauguration of the Keegan Award in 2012 is a tribute to her exemplary career.