Prairie Schooner

Prairie Schooner is a literary magazine published quarterly at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with the cooperation of UNL's English Department and the University of Nebraska Press. It is based in Lincoln, Nebraska and was first published in 1926. It was founded by Lowry Wimberly and a small group of his students, who together formed the Wordsmith Chapter of Sigma Upsilon (a national honorary literary society).

Although many assume it is a regional magazine, it is nationally and internationally distributed and publishes writers from all over the United States and the world.

Prairie Schooner has garnered reprints, and honorable mentions in the Pushcart Prize anthologies and various of the Best American series, including Best American Short Stories, Best American Essays, Best American Mystery Stories, and Best American Nonrequired Reading.

Editors

Prairie Schooner's current editor (2011–present) is Jamaican/Ghanaian poet and author Kwame Dawes.

Previous editors

1926–1956 Lowry Wimberly
1956–1963 Karl Shapiro
1963–1980 Bernice Slote
1980–1987 Hugh Luke
1987–2011 Hilda Raz

Notable contributors

Glenna Luschei Fund and awards

In 2001, the magazine and its editorship were endowed in perpetuity by poet and literary philanthropist Glenna Luschei under the Glenna Luschei Fund for Excellence at the University of Nebraska Foundation. In addition to funding the magazine and its special projects, the endowment funds one $1,500 Glenna Luschei Prairie Schooner Award and ten $250 Glenna Luschei Prairie Schooner Awards every year. The Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry is run by the African Poetry Book Fund in partnership with Prairie Schooner and is also named for and funded by Glenna Luschei.

Raz-Shumaker Prairie Schooner Book Prize

The Raz-Shumaker Prairie Schooner Book Prize is an American literary award presented yearly since 2003, one award for poetry and one award for fiction. It is run by the literary magazine Prairie Schooner and University of Nebraska Press. Winners receive $3,000 and publication through the University of Nebraska Press. Manuscripts are accepted from all living writers, including non-US citizens, writing in English.