Saga Prize
The Saga Prize was a literary award for new Black British novelists, which ran from 1995 to 1998.History
The actress and writer Marsha Hunt established the Saga Prize in 1995. The prize – of £3,000 and a book contract – was for unpublished first novels. To be eligible, entrants needed a black African ancestor and to have been born in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. The prize was sponsored by the travel firm Saga plc. Judges included Andrea Levy and Margaret Busby.
The 'afrocentric' nature of the Saga Prize and its restrictive definition of blackness caused controversy. The Commission for Racial Equality objected to its creation, and the Society of Authors refused to support it.Winners
