Dominic A. Pacyga to Receive Pattis Award for Book on Chicago Politics

Historian Dominic A. Pacyga has been selected as the winner of the 2026 Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award for his book, "Clout City: The Rise and Fall of the Chicago Political Machine." The award celebrates works that transform the public's understanding of Chicago, its history, and its people.

Pacyga's book, published by the University of Chicago Press, traces the origins of Chicago's political system and its eventual collapse. It examines the intricacies of the city's political world dating back to 1870, detailing how Chicago became the city it is today.

Pacyga, professor emeritus of history at Columbia College Chicago, is the author of several books on Chicago's past and serves as the curator for the Packingtown Museum. He will receive a $25,000 prize.

The Newberry Library and The Pattis Family Foundation present the annual award. This year, scholar Gayle F. Wald will also be recognized with $2,500 for her book, "This Is Rhythm: Ella Jenkins, Children's Music, and the Long Civil Rights Movement."

A public award ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Newberry Library on Saturday, September 19, 2026.