The Academy of American Poets First Book Award is a poetry prize managed by the Academy of American Poets. The award was named after poet Walt Whitman from 1975 to 2020. It is given to American poets who have not yet published a book, based on their competition entries of full-length poetry manuscripts. The prize includes publication of the winning manuscript by Graywolf Press, distribution of the book through the Academy, a $5,000 cash prize, and a six-week stay at the Civitella Ranieri Center in Italy, with all costs covered.

The Library of Congress and The New York Times both recognize the Academy of American Poets First Book Award as an important honor for poets. The award was created in 1975. In a 1985 article in The New York Times, novelist John Barth noted that 1,475 manuscripts had been entered into one of the Whitman Award competitions, which was more than the number of readers for some poetry journals. From 1992 to 2015, Louisiana State University Press published each winning book as part of its "Walt Whitman Award Series." Since 2015, Graywolf Press has published the books. The Academy buys and sends copies of the winning book to its members, along with copies of the winning book for the James Laughlin Award. Because the Academy orders 6,000 copies for its members, and the average print run for a poet’s first book is 3,000 copies, winning the Academy of American Poets First Book Award ensures the book becomes a bestseller in the small poetry market.