The John H. Dunning Prize was created in 1927 by a bequest from Miss Mathilda M. Dunning, stipulating that a prize in American history be established in the name of her father. This biennial prize was first awarded in 1929, and has been awarded in odd-numbered years since 1991.

The prize is offered for the best first or second book on any subject pertaining to the history of the United States.

The 2017 recipient was This Vast Southern Empire: Slaveholders at the Helm of American Foreign Policy (Harvard University Press) by Matthew Karp.