William Urban, Morgan professor of history and international studies, received the Harry E. Pratt Award from the Illinois State Historical Society as the author of the best story on Illinois history to be published in the past year.
Urban received the prestigious recognition for his story, “The People Versus Nicholas P. Earp,” which was published in the Fall 1997 issue of the Illinois Historical Journal. The story recounts how the behavior of Wyatt Earp’s father, Nicholas, got him in trouble with Monmouth town leaders, and how the experience affected the decisions made by his sons later in their lives.
The Pratt Award was presented in Springfield on Dec. 4. It is given to one author each year in recognition of the exceptional value of his or her article as a contribution to Illinois history and as an acknowledgment of the general excellence, style, and accuracy of the original manuscript
The award is named in memory of Harry E. Pratt, a noted scholar and editor of the Illinois Historical Journal from 1950 until his death in 1956.