On This Day, October 13, 2016: Bob Dylan wins the Nobel Prize in Literature

On This Day, October 13, 2016…

Bob Dylan was announced as the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first songwriter to ever win the award.

Dylan was the 12th Nobel laureate from the United States and the first American to win since Toni Morrison was chosen in 1993.

Dylan’s win was not without controversy, as some in the literature community felt his contributions were not up to par with traditional authors.

Dylan was not present to accept his award in Sweden that December, as he had prior commitments. Instead it was accepted on his behalf by singer Patti Smith, who performed Dylan’s song “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.”