George Chauncey wins $500,000 Library of Congress award

NEW YORK (AP) — Historian George Chauncey has received a $500,000 lifetime achievement award from the Library of Congress, the John W. Kluge Prize, the first time the honor has gone to a scholar in LGBTQ+ studies. The prize is given for achievement in the study of humanity. Chauncey, a professor of American history at Columbia University, is known for such books as “Gay New York” and “Why Marriage? The History Shaping Today’s Debate over Gay Equality.” Previous winners include Drew Gilpin Faust and John Hope Franklin. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden praised Chauncey’s ability to give better insight and understanding of LGBTQ+ people and their history.