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Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award

Award

Summary

Award

FieldValue
nameDamon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award
awarded_forExcellence in science fiction and fantasy writing, literary achievements
presenterScience Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association
countryUnited States
year1974
websitesfwa.org

The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award is a lifetime honor presented annually by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) to a living writer of fantasy or science fiction. It was first awarded in 1975, to Robert Heinlein. In 2002, it was renamed after Damon Knight, the founder of SFWA, who had died that year.

The presentation is made at the annual SFWA Nebula Awards banquet, commonly during May, but it is not one of the Nebulas, which recognize the preceding calendar year's works and are selected by vote of all Association members. The Grand Master selection is made by the current president; there is no jury or formal nomination procedure or voting. Per the SFWA Operations, Policies, and Procedures Manual, version 2.0 (the most recent as of 2026): "The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award is given by SFWA for ‘lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy.’ In consultation with the Past Presidents and the SFWA Board, the President bestows this honor on an individual who has shown immeasurable talent and achievement."

From 1995 to 2010, SFWA also gave some writers the title of Author Emeritus. In 2023, SFWA announced the creation of the Infinity Award, which posthumously honors creators who died before they could be considered for the Grand Master Award. The first recipient of the Infinity Award was Octavia E. Butler.

History

The first Grand Master, Robert Heinlein, was named in 1975. The Grand Master Award was originally limited to six recipients per decade; six were presented in the ten years to 1984 and twelve in the twenty years to 1994. From 1995, the award has been conferred annually, with the exception of 2002 and 2011. Andre Norton was the first woman to receive the award, in 1984. As of 2025, N.K. Jemisin is the youngest person to have received the award; she was aged 53.

From 1995 to 2010, SFWA also awarded the title of Author Emeritus "as a way to recognize and appreciate senior writers in the genres of science fiction and fantasy who have made significant contributions to our field but who are no longer active or whose excellent work may no longer be as widely known as it once was." Recipients were invited to speak at the annual Nebula Awards banquet. Fourteen honorees were named in the sixteen years the award was given. As of 2024, there has been no overlap between Grand Masters and Authors Emeritus. The award's status as a consolation prize was a matter of controversy.

Grand Masters

As of 2025, 42 Grand Masters have been created. The list below shows the year of the award ceremonies for each respective recipient. Awards are announced in advance of the ceremony, sometimes in the preceding year.

YearRecipientRef.1975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
(1907–1988)
(1908–2006)
(1904–1988)
—
(1907–2000)
—
(1910–1992)
—
—
(1912–2005)
—
(1917–2008)
(1920–1992)
(1913–1987)
(1920–2012)
—
(1915–1993)
—
(1919–2013)
—
(1922–2002)
(1912–2000)
(1916–2013)
(1926–2001)
(1922–2003)
(1925–2017)
(1918–2009)
—
(1929–2018)
(1935–)
(1926–2011)
(1934–2018)
(1923–2020)
(1939–)last=Nawotkafirst=Edwarddate=April 24, 2008title=Nebula Awards puts Austin and Texas writers at center of science fiction worldwork=Dallas Morning Newsurl=http://www.guidelive.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/books/stories/DN-scifi_0424gl.ART.State.Edition1.46cfb13.htmlurl-status=deadarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080429094458/http://www.guidelive.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/books/stories/DN-scifi_0424gl.ART.State.Edition1.46cfb13.htmlarchive-date=April 29, 2008}}
(1925–2012)
(1943–)
—
(1945–)last=date=2012-05-20title=2011 Nebula Awards Winnersurl=https://locusmag.com/2012/05/2011-nebula-awards-winners/url-status=livearchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713162304/http://www.locusmag.com/News/2012/05/2011-nebula-awards-winners/archive-date=July 13, 2017access-date=2023-03-11website=Locus Onlinelanguage=en-US}}
(1931–2019)
(1942–)last=date=2014-05-18title=2013 Nebula Awards Winnersurl=https://locusmag.com/2014/05/2013-nebula-award-winners/url-status=livearchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210030209/https://locusmag.com/2014/05/2013-nebula-award-winners/archive-date=December 10, 2022access-date=2023-03-11website=Locus Onlinelanguage=en-US}}
(1938–)last=date=2015-06-07title=2014 Nebula Awards Winnersurl=https://locusmag.com/2015/06/2014-nebula-awards-winners/url-status=livearchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210060045/https://locusmag.com/2015/06/2014-nebula-awards-winners/archive-date=December 10, 2022access-date=2023-03-11website=Locus Onlinelanguage=en-US}}
(1942–)date=February 17, 2016title=C.J. Cherryh Named SFWA Damon Knight Grand Masterurl=http://www.sfwa.org/2016/02/35732/access-date=February 18, 2016website=Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Americapublisher=archive-date=January 21, 2020archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200121173838/http://www.sfwa.org/2016/02/35732/url-status=dead }}
(1939–)date=November 29, 2016title=SFWA Announces Newest Damon Knight Grand Master – Jane Yolenurl=http://www.sfwa.org/2016/11/sfwa-announces-newest-damon-knight-grand-master-jane-yolen/access-date=November 29, 2016website=Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Americapublisher=archive-date=January 16, 2020archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116205151/http://www.sfwa.org/2016/11/sfwa-announces-newest-damon-knight-grand-master-jane-yolen/url-status=live }}
(1939–)last=date=2018-05-20title=2017 Nebula Awards Winnersurl=https://locusmag.com/2018/05/2017-nebula-awards-winners/url-status=livearchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207204828/http://locusmag.com/2018/05/2017-nebula-awards-winners/archive-date=December 7, 2022access-date=2023-03-11website=Locus Onlinelanguage=en-US}}
(1948–)date=2019-01-18title=Gibson Named SFWA Grand Masterurl=https://locusmag.com/2019/01/gibson-named-sfwa-grand-master/access-date=January 8, 2019website=Locus Magazinepublisher=archive-date=2019-12-06archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206233255/https://locusmag.com/2019/01/gibson-named-sfwa-grand-master/url-status=live }}
(1949–)date=December 9, 2019title=Bujold Named SFWA Grand Masterurl=https://locusmag.com/2019/12/bujold-named-sfwa-grand-master/access-date=December 9, 2019publisher=Locus Magazinearchive-date=December 10, 2019archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210012641/https://locusmag.com/2019/12/bujold-named-sfwa-grand-master/url-status=live }}
(1960–)date=2020-12-01title=SFWA Names Nalo Hopkinson as the 37th Damon Knight Grand Masterurl=https://www.tor.com/2020/12/01/sfwa-names-nalo-hopkinson-as-the-37th-damon-knight-grand-master/access-date=2020-12-01website=Tor.compublisher=archive-date=2020-12-01archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201210137/https://www.tor.com/2020/12/01/sfwa-names-nalo-hopkinson-as-the-37th-damon-knight-grand-master/url-status=live }}
(1950–)
(1952–)
Susan Cooper (1935–)
Nicola Griffith (1960–)
N.K. Jemisin (1972–)

Infinity Award

In 2023, SFWA announced the creation of the Infinity Award, which posthumously honors creators who died before they could be considered for the Grand Master Award. SFWA President Jeffe Kennedy said, "Over the years, so many creators have been passed over for the Grand Master nod, for one reason or another. Some died tragically early. Others were not recognized for their work during their lifetimes because of cultural prejudices and blind spots."

YearRecipientRef.20232024
(1947–2006)
(1947–2015)

Anthologies

In 1989, the anthology Grand Masters' Choice was published, edited by Andre Norton and Ingrid Zierhut. Three more anthologies honoring recipients of the Grand Master Award and collecting some of their short works have been published: The SFWA Grand Masters, Volume 1 (1999), The SFWA Grand Masters, Volume 2 (2000), and The SFWA Grand Masters, Volume 3 (2001), all edited by Frederik Pohl. Collectively, they honor the first fifteen recipients of the award.

References

References

  1. "[https://www.sfwa.org/2023/04/27/the-inaugural-infinity-award-honoree-octavia-e-butler/ The Inaugural Infinity Award Honoree: Octavia E. Butler]," [[Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association]] (SFWA), April 27, 2023.
  2. Harlan Ellison. (1994). "Harlan Ellison's Watching 36".
  3. "SFWA Grand Master Award".
  4. (May 6, 2006). "2005 Nebula Award winners". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Inc..
  5. Nawotka, Edward. (April 24, 2008). "Nebula Awards puts Austin and Texas writers at center of science fiction world". Dallas Morning News.
  6. (February 28, 2008). "Michael Moorcock named SFWA Grand Master". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Inc..
  7. (2009-04-26). "Nebula Awards Announced".
  8. Defendini, Pablo. (2009-04-26). "Nebula Award Winners!".
  9. (2010-05-17). "Awards: Nebulas; Moby Book Trailer Finalists".
  10. Gallo, Irene. (2010-05-15). "2010 Nebula Award Winners!".
  11. (2010-05-16). "Nebula Awards Winners".
  12. (2012-05-20). "2011 Nebula Awards Winners".
  13. (2012-05-20). "Announcing the 2011 Nebula Awards Winners".
  14. Tolbert, Jeremiah. (2012-01-16). "SFWA Names Connie Willis Recipient of the 2011 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award".
  15. Tolbert, Jeremiah. (2012-12-13). "2012 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Awarded to Gene Wolfe".
  16. Flood. (2012-12-14). "Gene Wolfe wins grand master award for science fiction and fantasy". [[The Guardian]].
  17. (2013-05-19). "2012 Nebula Awards Winners".
  18. (2013-05-19). "Congratulations to the 2012 Nebula Award Winners".
  19. (2014-05-18). "2013 Nebula Awards Winners".
  20. (2014-05-17). "Congratulations to the 2013 Nebula Award Winners".
  21. (2015-06-07). "2014 Nebula Awards Winners".
  22. (February 17, 2016). "C.J. Cherryh Named SFWA Damon Knight Grand Master".
  23. (2016-05-14). "Announcing the 2015 Nebula Award Winners".
  24. (November 29, 2016). "SFWA Announces Newest Damon Knight Grand Master – Jane Yolen".
  25. (2018-05-20). "2017 Nebula Awards Winners".
  26. (2018-05-20). "Announcing the 2017 Nebula Awards Winners!".
  27. (January 23, 2018). "SFWA Announces Newest Grand Master – Peter S. Beagle".
  28. (2018-01-23). "Beagle Named SFWA Grand Master".
  29. (2019-01-18). "Gibson Named SFWA Grand Master".
  30. (2019-05-19). "2018 Nebula Awards Winners".
  31. (2019-05-19). "Announcing the 2018 Nebula Awards Winners".
  32. (December 9, 2019). "Bujold Named SFWA Grand Master". Locus Magazine.
  33. (2020-12-01). "SFWA Names Nalo Hopkinson as the 37th Damon Knight Grand Master".
  34. (2021-06-06). "2020 Nebula Awards Winners".
  35. (2021-11-04). "Mercedes Lackey Named the 38th SFWA Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master".
  36. (2021-11-05). "Lackey Named SFWA Grand Master".
  37. (2022-11-28). "SFWA Names Robin McKinley Its 39th Grand Master!".
  38. (2024-02-08). "Cooper Named Grand Master".
  39. KathrynBaker. (2024-02-07). "SFWA Names Susan Cooper as the 40th Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master".
  40. (2025-04-01). "SFWA Names Nicola Griffith as the 41st Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master".
  41. (2025-11-16). "SFWA Names N. K. Jemisin as 42nd Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master".
  42. [https://www.sfwa.org/2024/03/12/tanith-lee-announced-as-2024-sfwa-infinity-award-recipient/ "Tanith Lee Announced as 2024 SFWA Infinity Award Recipient."] SFWA. March 12, 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
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