The Science Fiction Achievement Awards, better known as the Hugo Awards, were started in 1953 at the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) in Philadelphia. You can read about the start of the awards in the Philcon Program Book which is available on-line. Click on Achievement Awards. After being skipped in 1954, the Hugo Awards became an annual tradition selecting the best material of the previous year in the SF field. The awards are voted on by the members of the Worldcon.
In 1994, at the instigation of Bruce Pelz, a motion was passed to create the Retro-Hugo Awards. The Retro-Hugo was an option that a Worldcon could select to implement to retroactively make awards for years when the Worldcon had taken place but for which no Hugo Awards had been given. Awards are allowed only for specific years: 50, 75, or 100 years before the current Worldcon.
The Introduction to the Retro Hugos, edited by Andrew I. Porter with the assistance of Joe Siclari and Edie Stern, is a comprehensive introduction to, and history of, the Retro Hugos. Please note that this a PDF file that requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing. If you don't already have the Reader you can download a free copy from Adobe by clicking on the following icon:
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As is normal for the Hugo Awards, the Retro-Hugo Awards are selected from the best of the previous year for which they would have been awarded. Therefore, the Retro Hugos for CoNZealand (2020) will be awarded for work done in 1944.
The Fan History Project is pleased to assist voters for the Retro Hugo Awards by placing as many issues of the relevant 1943 fanzines online as we can for you to read and enjoy. We hope that this will allow you to make a better qualified judgment of the fan categories for the awards.
-- Joe Siclari, Coordinator |
-- Edie Stern, Webmaster |
Updated April 8, 2020. If you have a comment or question about these Web pages please send a note to the Fanac Webmaster. Thank you.
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