Professor Elliott West Wins Prestigious Book Award

Photo Submitted

The Western Heritage "Wrangler" Statuette

Professor Elliott West, Alumni Distinguished Professor of History, has won the 2010 Western Heritage Award (category: Non-fiction) for his latest book, The Last Indian War: The Nez Perce Story. This is the third time that West has been honored with the Western Heritage Award. He won first in 1990 and then again in 1996 for his books Growing Up with the Country and The Way to the West, respectively.

First presented in 1961, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Western Heritage Awards were established to honor and encourage the legacy of those whose works in literature, music, film and television reflect the significant stories of the American West. Previous award winners range from authors Cormac McCarthy and Dan Flores; to scholars David J. Weber and Howard Lamar; and producers of television and films including The Alamo and an episode of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman.

The awards program also recognizes inductees into the prestigious Hall of Great Westerners and the Hall of Great Western Performers as well as the recipient of the Chester A. Reynolds Memorial Award, named in honor of the Museum’s founder. Past recipients include Charlton Heston, Tom Selleck, Sam Elliot, Howard Hawks, and Louis L'Amour. Each honoree receives a Wrangler, an impressive bronze sculpture of a cowboy on horseback.

The awards ceremony will be held at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Founded in 1955, the museum collects western art and artifacts and sponsors scholarly research. More than 10 million visitors have enjoyed the collections of the museum.