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Linford receives American Journalism’s Rising Scholar Award

Autumn Linford, an assistant professor of journalism in the School of Communication and Journalism at Auburn University, has won the 2026 American Journalism Rising Scholar Award.

The competitive annual award provides funds up to $2,000 to a scholar who shows promise in extending their research agenda, to cover research costs toward a media history project.

Linford proposed a book-length history of American bylines and the gender-specific consequences of their mandate, focusing on the century between 1850 and 1950, when pseudonymous and anonymous journalism gave way to standardized bylines.

The editors of American Journalism, the peer-reviewed quarterly journal of the American Journalism Historians Association (AJHA), praised the quality of Linford’s application. Rachel Grant, associate professor of journalism at the University of Florida and associate editor of American Journalism, discussed the challenge of selecting a winner.

“This year's submissions were creative and impactful to the field of media history. It was an extremely difficult decision. The committee felt that the winner’s proposal was very detailed and their overall project covered an interesting aspect of media history,” Grant said. “Finally, the project included multiple archive sites.”

Linford expressed appreciation for the award.

“The AJHA community has always been crucial to my success as a historian. Funding opportunities like this and the willingness of members to share ideas and experiences demonstrates the uniquely generous community AJHA creates. I am honored and grateful for this incredible award, and I look forward to the archival work it will allow.”

Linford will receive the award during AJHA's 44th Annual Convention, held Nov. 5-7 in Greenville, South Carolina.

Tags: Communication and Journalism Faculty Research