This award was created in 1970 by the SFRA to honor lifetime contributions to SF and fantasy scholarship. The award was originally named the Pilgrim Award for J. O. Bailey's pioneering book, Pilgrims through Space and Time. 

The name was amended following a series of discussions and a community vote to The SFRA Award for Lifetime Contributions to SF Scholarship in 2019. 

[*The SFRA award season begins in June of the year of record; awards are bestowed during the annual conference the following year.]