Awards
Bud Day Award
Warren J. “Bud” Day (1927–2003) was a scholar and activist with an M. S. in Sanitary Engineering, an M. A. in Counseling/Guidance, and a Master of Divinity degree. He was committed to anti-racist activism, national liberation struggles, the global fight against war and militarism, ending US destabilization policies, and to bringing clean water, sanitation and affordable health care to those in need. Bud worked in India, Bangladesh, and across Southern Africa, Central America, the Middle East, and the United States.
Nominations and Selection for the Bud Day Award
ACAS encourages nominations for activist scholars who:
* are located in the US, working on projects for Africa/Africans
* engage in ongoing work related to US Africa policy – including research and analysis of problems supported by US policy, and research and policy development
* focus on a neglected group or problem, or a critical situation for Africa/Africans
Preference is given to younger colleagues.
Current ACAS members may nominate a colleague. The decision by the ACAS award election committee, whose members are drawn from ACAS Board, is final. Please send your nominations to Elizabeth Schmidt by August 1, 2007.
The Bud Day Award
The scholar’s profile will be published in the ACAS Bulletin and on the African Activist Archive Project website. The recipient also will receive a nominal sum to help further his or her work.
Previous Recipients
2008
Prexy Nesbitt
Prexy Nesbit is, a long-time activist for African liberation and progressive causes on the continent, as an educator, writer, and frequent speaker. He was a catalyst of nation-wide agitation against apartheid and for divestment from South Africa. More recently he has been speaking on war and militarism issues.
2007
Imani Countess
Imani Countess was the third recipient of the Bud Day Award. She is Africa Program Coordinator of the American Friends Service Committee.
2006
Bill Minter
Minter is an ACAS Board member, editor of AfricaFocus Bulletin, and the second recipient of the Bud Day Award. Bill taught at the secondary school of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) from 1966-68 and from 1974-76. He has worked as an independent scholar and activist since receiving his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin in 1973.
Carole Collins (1946-2006)
Collins was an activist involved in Africa solidarity work for more than three decades in Chicago, Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, and Southern Africa, was also honored at the 2006 Bud Day Award Ceremony. Carol worked as an independent consultant and free lance writer on Africa policy issues, as well as working for a variety of NGOs promoting African emancipation and development. She did research and policy analysis about debt, trade and HIV/AIDS issues in Africa for various ecumenical advocacy coalitions. She worked as a journalist in Africa and at the United Nations.
2005
Kassahun Checole
Checole was the first recipient of the Bud Day Award, is publisher and editor of Africa World Press and Red Sea Press, based in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Africa World Press was launched in 1983 with the publication of Barrel of a Pen: Resistance to Repression in Neo-Colonial Kenya by the Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong’o. Red Sea Press was established in 1985. The selection committee wrote that “… the press exemplifies the famous African proverb: ‘Until the lions have their historians, tales of hunting will always glorify the hunter’.”
