The American Book Awards are a literary honor in the United States that recognize books and people each year for "outstanding literary achievement." According to a 2010 press release, the award is given by writers to other writers. There are no categories, no nominees, and no one loses.

The award is managed by the Before Columbus Foundation, a nonprofit organization that focuses on multicultural issues. The foundation created the award in 1978 and began it in 1980. It celebrates excellence in American literature without limits based on race, gender, ethnicity, or type of writing. Past winners include writers, scientists, philosophers, poets, and historians such as Toni Morrison, Edward Said, MacKenzie Bezos, Isabel Allende, bell hooks, Don DeLillo, Derrick Bell, Robin Kelley, Joy Harjo, and Tommy J. Curry.

National Book Awards

In 1980, the National Book Awards, which were not connected to the American Book Awards, was renamed American Book Awards. In 1987, the name was changed back to National Book Awards. The two awards are not connected in any other way except for the name they shared during those seven years.