1980s Mark Twain Award recipients
| 1989..... | Dudley Randall | ||
| 1988..... | Harry Mark Petrakis | ||
| 1987..... | Andrew Greeley | ||
| 1986..... | John Knoepfle | ||
| 1985..... | Gwendolyn Brooks | ||
| 1984..... | Harriette Arnow | ||
| 1983..... | John Voelker (Robert Traver) | ||
| 1982..... | Wright Morris | ||
| 1981..... | Fredrick Manfred | ||
| 1980..... | Jack Conroy |