Congratulations to Holly Nelson, winner of the 2023 Arthur Kouguell Prize for her outstanding senior thesis, “’A Rare Standing Ovation”: Ballet Diplomacy, Russian Myth, and Black Transnationalism in the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Soviet Union Tour (1988).” 

Holly Nelson’s thesis integrates diplomatic, intellectual, and cultural history to explore the Dance Theater of Harlem’s U.S. government-sponsored tour of the Soviet Union in 1988. The tour by the Dance Theater of Harlem was unique, Nelson argues, because of the excitement it roused in the Soviet Union with performances of George Balanchine’s Firebird (set to music by Igor Stravinsky). Firebird is based on a traditional Russian tale but, Nelson continues, when performed by Black dancers, it gestured to anti-racism and social justice in ways that resonated profoundly with Soviet audiences. This thesis stands out for its focus on the understudied institution of the Dance Theater of Harlem, the intersection of dance and diplomatic histories, and a nuanced analysis of the Firebird ballet and its Soviet reception. Her research integrated many kinds of primary sources—which included include the visual as well as textual and drew from Russian- as well as English-language materials—and her interpretations are theoretically sophisticated. Finally, Nelson writes with grace and daring, making her case systematically but also blending a more traditional account with forays into fiction.  

The Committee awarded an Honorable Mention to Hanan Abdellatif for her thesis “Medicalizing Race and Gender at the Johns Hopkins Hospital: An Examination of Howard Kelly’s Life and Career.” This thesis expertly deploys historical skills by clearly framing its questions, elaborating a solid theoretical scaffolding, and shaping primary research into an original argument that links “the emergence of eugenics and scientific racism to the development of gynecology” by highlighting how Johns Hopkins gynecologist Howard Kelly’s two-tier medical practice contributed to the pernicious medicalization of Black women’s bodies.  The department also initiated a new award, the Undergraduate Leadership Award in History.   This award recognizes the contributions of the undergraduate history major who has contributed most to building intellectual and social community, working with undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, alumni, and other groups to present a varied and compelling series of events of interest to undergraduates.  The inaugural Undergraduate Leadership Award went to the outgoing president of the Undergraduate History Association, Hanan Abdellatif.

The department also initiated a new award, the Undergraduate Leadership Award in History.   This award recognizes the contributions of the undergraduate history major who has contributed most to building intellectual and social community, working with undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, alumni, and other groups to present a varied and compelling series of events of interest to undergraduates.  The inaugural Undergraduate Leadership Award went to the outgoing president of the Undergraduate History Association, Hanan Abdellatif.