The Vilcek Foundation announced the 2025 recipient of the Vilcek Prize for Excellence in Literary Scholarship on Feb. 3. Alphonse Fletcher University Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was named as this year’s honoree.
Gates was praised for his contributions as a scholar of African American history, as well as leading conversations on race, literature, and immigration. “What makes Henry Louis Gates so special is his commitment to making complex histories accessible,” Vilcek Foundation President Rick Kinsel said in a statement.
Henry Louis Gates Jr. awarded Vilcek Prize for Excellence in Literary Scholarship
