Pulitzer Prize

The Pulitzer Prize /pltsr/[1] is an award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature, and
musical composition in the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of American
(Hungarian-born) publisher Joseph Pulitzer, and is administered by Columbia University in New York City.[2]
Prizes are awarded yearly in twenty-one categories. In
twenty of the categories, each winner receives a certicate and a US$10,000 cash award.[3] The winner in the
public service category of the journalism competition is
awarded a gold medal.[3][4]

2012 that nancial journalist Betty Liu was described as

Pulitzer Prize-Nominated in her Bloomberg Television
advertising and the jacket of her book, while National
Review writer Jonah Goldberg made similar claims of
Pulitzer nomination to promote his books. Dedman
wrote, To call that submission a Pulitzer 'nomination'
is like saying that Adam Sandler is an Oscar nominee if
Columbia Pictures enters Thats My Boy in the Academy
Awards. Many readers realize that the Oscars don't work
that waythe studios don't pick the nominees. Its just
a way of slipping 'Academy Awards into a bio. The
Pulitzers also don't work that way, but fewer people know
that.[6]

Entry and prize consideration

2 History

The Pulitzer Prize does not automatically consider all applicable works in the media, but only those that have
specically entered.[5] (There is a $50 entry fee, paid for
each desired entry category.) Entries must t in at least
one of the specic prize categories, and cannot simply
gain entrance for being literary or musical.[5] Works can
also only be entered in a maximum of two categories, regardless of their properties.

Newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer gave money in his

will to Columbia University to launch a journalism school
and establish the Prize. It allocated $250,000 to the prize
and scholarships.[7] He specied four awards in journalism, four in letters and drama, one in education, and
four traveling scholarships.[2] After his death, the rst
Pulitzer Prizes were awarded June 4, 1917; they are now
announced each April. The Chicago Tribune under the
control of Colonel McCormick felt that the Pulitzer Prize
was nothing more than a 'mutual admiration society' and
not to be taken seriously; the paper refused to compete for
the prize during McCormicks tenure up until 1961.[8][9]

Each year, 102 judges are selected, by the Pulitzer Prize

Board, to serve on 20 separate juries for the 21 award
categories (one jury for both photography awards). Most
juries consist of ve members, except for those for public service, investigative reporting, beat reporting, feature
writing and commentary categories, which have seven
members.[2] For each award category, a jury makes three
nominations. The board selects the winner by majority vote from the nominations, or75% majority vote 3 Recipients
bypasses the nominations and selects a dierent entry.
The board can also vote to issue no award. The board is See also: Category:Pulitzer Prize winners
not paid for its work. The jurors in letters, music, and
drama get a $2000 honorarium for the year, and each
chair gets $2500.[2]

3.1 Individuals

1.1

The dierence between entrants and Many people have won more than one Pulitzer Prize. No
one has won both a prize for arts and letters (left colnominated nalists

umn) and one for journalism (right column, incomplete).

Anyone whose work has been submitted is called an en- Nelson Harding is the only person to have won a prize in
trant. The jury selects a group of nominated nalists and two consecutive years, the Editorial Cartooning Pulitzer
announces them, together with the winner for each cat- in 1927 and 1928.
egory. However, some journalists who were only submitted, but not nominated as nalists, still claim to be
3.2 Arts & Letters
Pulitzer nominees in promotional material.
For example, msnbc.com's Bill Dedman pointed out in Four prizes
1

3
Robert Frost, Poetry

Walter Piston, Music Composition

Eugene O'Neill, Drama

Booth Tarkington, Novel

Robert E. Sherwood, Drama (3) and Biography

Alan Taylor, History

RECIPIENTS

Barbara W. Tuchman, Nonction

Three prizes

John Updike, Fiction

Edward Albee, Drama

Richard Wilbur, Poetry

Archibald MacLeish, Poetry (2) and Drama

Tennessee Williams, Drama

Edwin Arlington Robinson, Poetry

August Wilson, Drama

Carl Sandburg, Poetry (2) and Biography

E. O. Wilson, Nonction

Robert Penn Warren, Poetry (2) and Fiction

Thornton Wilder, Drama (2) and the Novel
Two prizes
Bernard Bailyn, History
Samuel Barber, Music Composition
Walter Jackson Bate, Biography

3.3 Journalism
This list is incomplete; you can help by
expanding it.

Four prizes

Stephen Vincent Bent, Poetry

Robert Caro, Biography
Elliott Carter, Music Composition
David Herbert Donald, Biography

Carol Guzy, photojournalism, various subcategories

Three prizes

Horst Faas, Photography

David Barstow, Public Service and Investigative Reporting (2)

William Faulkner, Fiction

Paul Conrad, Editorial Cartooning

Douglas Southall Freeman, Biography

Edmund Duy, Editorial Cartooning

Burton J. Hendrick, Biography

Thomas Friedman, International Reporting (2) and

Commentary

Paul Horgan, History

Marquis James, Biography
George S. Kaufman, Drama (both shared)
Margaret Leech, History
David Levering Lewis, Biography
Robert Lowell, Poetry
Norman Mailer, Fiction and Nonction
David McCullough, Biography
Gian Carlo Menotti, Music Composition

Herblock, Editorial Cartooning

Rollin Kirby, Editorial Cartooning
Je MacNelly, Editorial Cartooning
Two prizes
Steve Breen, Editorial Cartooning
Jay Norwood Ding Darling, Editorial Cartooning
Daniel R. Fitzpatrick, Editorial Cartooning

William S. Merwin, Poetry

Jon Franklin, Feature Writing and Explanatory Reporting

Samuel Eliot Morison, Biography

Walt Handelsman, Editorial Cartooning

Allan Nevins, Biography

Nelson Harding, Editorial Cartooning (consecutive)

3
David Horsey, Editorial Cartooning
Anthony Lewis, National Reporting
Mike Luckovich, Editorial Cartooning
Bill Mauldin, Editorial Cartooning
Gene Miller, Investigative Reporting
Larry C. Price, Photography
Michael Ramirez, Editorial Cartooning
Anthony Shadid, International Reporting
Vaughn Shoemaker, Editorial Cartooning
Paul Szep, Editorial Cartooning
Craig F. Walker, Photography
Gene Weingarten, Feature Writing
Don Wright, Editorial Cartooning
|}

Breaking News Reporting for a distinguished example of local reporting of breaking news.
Investigative Reporting for a distinguished example of investigative reporting by an individual or
team, presented as a single newspaper article or series.
Explanatory Reporting for a distinguished example of explanatory newspaper reporting that illuminates a signicant and complex subject, demonstrating mastery of the subject, lucid writing, and clear
presentation.
Local Reporting for a distinguished example of local newspaper reporting that illuminates signicant
issues or concerns.[10]
National Reporting for a distinguished example of
newspaper reporting on national aairs.

3.4

Newspapers

The prize for Public Service is awarded only to news organizations, not individuals. Awards for journalism categories such as General News Reporting may be awarded
to individuals or newspapers or newspaper stas.

rst in listings of the journalism prizes, the Public

Service award is given to the newspaper, not to individuals, though individuals are often mentioned
for their contributions. Alone among the Pulitzer
Prizes, it is awarded in the form of the Joseph
Pulitzer Gold Medal.

Categories

International Reporting for a distinguished example of newspaper reporting on international aairs,

including United Nations correspondence.
Feature Writing for a distinguished example of
newspaper feature writing giving prime consideration to high literary quality and originality.
Commentary for distinguished commentary.
Criticism for distinguished criticism.

Awards are made in categories relating to newspaper

journalism, arts, and letters and ction. Only published
reports and photographs by United States-based newspapers or daily news organizations are eligible for the
journalism prize. Beginning in 2007, An assortment
of online elements will be permitted in all journalism
categories except for the competitions two photography
categories, which will continue to restrict entries to still
images.[10] In December 2008 it was announced that
for the rst time content published in online-only news
sources would be considered.[11]
Denitions of Pulitzer Prize categories as presented in the
2008 competition:

Editorial Writing for distinguished editorial writing, the test of excellence being clarity of style,
moral purpose, sound reasoning, and power to inuence public opinion in what the writer perceives
to be the right direction.
Editorial Cartooning for a distinguished cartoon
or portfolio of cartoons published during the year,
characterized by originality, editorial eectiveness,
quality of drawing, and pictorial eect.
Breaking News Photography, previously called Spot
News Photography for a distinguished example of
breaking news photography in black and white or
color, which may consist of a photograph or photographs, a sequence, or an album.

Public Service for a distinguished example of

meritorious public service by a newspaper or news
Feature Photography for a distinguished example
site through the use of its journalistic resources
of feature photography in black and white or color,
which, as well as reporting, may include editorials,
which may consist of a photograph or photographs,
cartoons, photographs, graphics, videos, databases,
a sequence, or an album.
multimedia or interactive presentations or other visual material, presented in print or online or both.
Often thought of as the grand prize, and mentioned There are six categories in letters and drama:

7 CRITICISM AND STUDIES

Fiction for distinguished ction by an American The board elects its own members for a three-year term
author, preferably dealing with American life.
(excluding the dean and the administrator). Members of
the board and the juries are selected with close attention
Drama for a distinguished play by an American given to professional excellence and aliation, as well
playwright, preferably original in its source and deal- as diversity in terms of gender, ethnic background, geoing with American life.
graphical distribution and size of newspaper. Each year,
senior member.[12] The board
History for a distinguished book on the history of the chair rotates to the most
[2]
makes all prize decisions.
the United States.
Biography or Autobiography for a distinguished
biography or autobiography by an American author.
Poetry for a distinguished volume of original verse
by an American poet.
General Non-Fiction for a distinguished book of
non-ction by an American author that is not eligible
for consideration in any other category.

There is one prize given for music:

Pulitzer Prize for Music for a distinguished musical contribution by an American that had its rst
performance or recording in the United States during the year.

6 Controversies
Calls for revocation of journalist Walter Duranty's
1932 Pulitzer Prize
Call for revocation of journalist William L. Laurence's 1946 Pulitzer Prize
1962 Biography Prize: Citizen Hearst: A Biography
of William Randolph Hearst by W. A. Swanberg was
recommended by the Prize board but overturned by
the trustees of Columbia University because its subject, Hearst, was not an eminent example of the biographers art as specied in the prize denition.[13]

There have been dozens of Special Citations and Awards:

more than ten each in Arts, Journalism, and Letters, and
ve for Pulitzer Prize service, most recently to Joseph
Pulitzer, Jr. in 1985.

1974 Fiction Prize: Gravitys Rainbow by Thomas

Pynchon was recommended by the three-member
ction panel but the eleven other members of the
Prize board overturned that decision and no award
was given.[14]

In addition to the prizes, Pulitzer travelling fellowships

are awarded to four outstanding students of the Graduate
School of Journalism as selected by the faculty.

Forfeiture of Janet Cooke's 1981 Pulitzer Prize for

Feature Writing for fabricating the story.

4.1

Changes to categories

Over the years, awards have been discontinued either because the eld of the award has been expanded to encompass other areas, the award been renamed because the
common terminology changed, or the award has become
obsolete, such as the prizes for telegraphic reporting,
which was based on the old technology of the telegram.
An example of a writing eld that has been expanded was
the former Pulitzer Prize for the Novel (awarded 1918
1947), which has been changed to the Pulitzer Prize
for Fiction, which also includes short stories, novellas,
novelettes, and ctional poetry, as well as novels.

Board

The 20-member board comprises major newspaper editors and executives and six academics including the president of Columbia University and the dean and administrator of the Columbia University Graduate School of
Journalism. The administrator and the dean cannot vote.

7 Criticism and studies

Some critics of the Pulitzer Prize have accused the organization of favoring those who support liberal causes
or oppose conservative causes. Syndicated columnist L.
Brent Bozell said that the Pulitzer Prize has a liberal
legacy, particularly in its prize for commentary.[15] He
pointed to a 31-year period in which only ve conservatives won prizes for commentary. The claim is also supported by a statement from the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner
for commentary, Kathleen Parker: Its only because I'm
a conservative basher that I'm now recognized.[16]
A 2012 academic study by journalism professor Yong
Volz and Chinese University journalism professor Francis Lee found that only 27% of Pulitzer winners since
1991 were females, while newsrooms are about 33%
female.[17][18] The study concluded that the majority of
female winners enjoyed access to greater resources than
the average male winner, resources including such things
as attendance at Ivy League schools, metropolitan upbringing, or employment with an elite publication such
as the New York Times.[19]

See also
List of Pulitzer Prizes awarded to The New York
Times
Man Booker Prize
Nautilus Book Awards
National Book Award
Commonwealth Writers Prize
Prix Goncourt
National Magazine Awards

Notes

[1] According to the administrators of the Pulitzer Prize, the

correct pronunciation of the name should sound like the
verb pull, as in Pull it, sir. The mistaken pronunciation
/pjultsr/, starting o like pew, is quite common, and
included in the major British and American dictionaries.
[2] Topping, Seymour (2008). History of The Pulitzer
Prizes. The Pulitzer Prizes. Columbia University. Retrieved September 13, 2011. Updated 2013 by Sig
Gissler.
[3] Topping, Seymour (2008). Administration. The
Pulitzer Prizes. Columbia University. Retrieved January
31, 2013. Updated 2013 by Sig Gissler.
[4] The Medal. Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved January 31,
2013.
[5] Entry Form For a Pulitzer Prize in Journalism Pulitzer.org
[6] Abad-Santos, Alexander (June 26, 2012). Journalists,
Please Stop Saying You Were 'Pulitzer PrizeNominated'". what matters now (the Atlantic wire).
[7] Morris, James McGrath (2010). Pulitzer: A Life in Politics, Print, and Power. New York, NY: HarperCollins. p.
461. ISBN 978-0-06-079870-3. Retrieved Sep 12, 2011.
[8] Reardon, Patrick T (June 8, 1997). A Parade of
Pulitzers. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
for more than two decades [...] the Tribune refused to
compete for the awards.
[9] Epstein, Joseph (August 1997). The Colonel and the
Lady. Commentary. p. 48. He viewed the Pulitzer Prize
as a 'mutual admiration society,' and hence not to be taken
seriously.
[10] Pulitzer Board Widens Range of Online Journalism in
Entries (Press release). Pulitzer Prize Board. November
27, 2006. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
[11] Pulitzer Prizes Broadened to Include Online-Only Publications Primarily Devoted to Original News Reporting
(Press release). Pulitzer Prize Board. December 8, 2008.
Retrieved April 12, 2010.

[12] Topping, Seymour (2008). Pulitzer biography. The

Pulitzer Prizes. Columbia University. Retrieved September 13, 2011. Updated 2013 by Sig Gissler.
[13] Hohenberg, John. The Pulitzer Diaries: Inside Americas
Greatest Prize. 1997. p. 109.
[14] McDowell, Edwin. Publishing: Pulitzer Controversies.
The New York Times, May 11, 1984: C26.
[15] Bozell, Brent (April 22, 2007). Pulitzers liberal legacy.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
[16] Hagey, Keach (October 4, 2010). Kathleen Parker:
'Smallish-town girl' hits cable. Politico. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
[17] Yong Z. Volz; Francis LF Lee (August 30, 2012). Who
wins the Pulitzer Prize in international reporting? Cumulative advantage and social stratication in journalism.
Journalism. doi:10.1177/1464884912455905. Retrieved
October 18, 2012.
[18] Kelly Burdick (October 18, 2012). New study says
women may need connections to win a Pulitzer. Melville
House Publishing. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
[19] Female Pulitzer Prize winners require higher qualications, study nds. Phys.org. October 18, 2012. Retrieved October 18, 2012.

10 References
Auxier, George W. (March 1940). Middle Western Newspapers and the Spanish American War,
18951898. Mississippi Valley Historical Review
(Organization of American Historians) 26 (4): 523.
doi:10.2307/1896320. JSTOR 1896320.

11 External links
Ocial website
Pulitzer Prizes Collection at Columbia University.
Rare Book and Manuscript Library

12

12
12.1

TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

Text

Pulitzer Prize Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulitzer%20Prize?oldid=642668802 Contributors: Trelvis, WojPob, Bryan Derksen,

Ap, Tange, Css, Lane Wright, Danny, SimonP, Olivier, Infrogmation, D, Gabbe, Ahoerstemeier, Salsa Shark, Rossami, Jeandr du Toit,
Hashar, Vanished user 5zariu3jisj0j4irj, Timwi, Fuzheado, Munford, Bevo, MrWeeble, Bearcat, Robbot, Chris 73, Ajd, Postdlf, Nilmerg,
Texture, Matty j, Seth Ilys, DocWatson42, Meursault2004, Christofurio, Matt Crypto, Antandrus, DrunkenMonkey, Piotrus, Xtreambar,
Girolamo Savonarola, Gleam, Joyous!, MementoVivere, PhotoBox, Discospinster, Rich Farmbrough, Wikiacc, Berkut, Mani1, Kwamikagami, Hayabusa future, Sole Soul, Bobo192, Walkiped, Maurreen, Ctrl build, SpeedyGonsales, NickSchweitzer, Mareino, Wendell, 119,
Arthena, Lokicarbis, Craigy144, Demi, Wtmitchell, Iustinus, LukeSurl, Fryede, Pat Glesner, Mel Etitis, Woohookitty, Mindmatrix, LOL,
Nuggetboy, Admrboltz, Dowew, Sandylouise, MONGO, Hbdragon88, Terence, Scm83x, OCNative, Zzyzx11, Emerson7, RuM, Slgrandson, BD2412, Orville Eastland, Sdornan, Vegaswikian, The wub, PaulScv, RobertG, RexNL, RobyWayne, Daycd, YurikBot, RobotE,
S.Camus, Phantomsteve, Anders.Warga, Hellbus, Lar, Stephenb, Eleassar, Stassats, Magicmonster, Grafen, Muu-karhu, Alex43223, MSJapan, Syrthiss, EEMIV, DeadEyeArrow, Bota47, Menelaos, Speedoight, Wknight94, Zzuuzz, Open2universe, Arthur Rubin, BorgQueen,
Kennylucius, DoriSmith, Kungfuadam, Jonathan.s.kt, Tim1965, GrinBot, Oscarfan, K-UNIT, Mdd4696, Canthusus, Evanreyes, Xaosux,
Ohnoitsjamie, Betacommand, Skizzik, MalafayaBot, Greatgavini, MaxSem, Belljar76, Mooncow, Chlewbot, MinuteHand, Yidisheryid,
Krsont, K72ndst, Nakon, Of7271, Kukini, Wv235, Ohconfucius, SashatoBot, Valfontis, John, Soumyasch, IronGargoyle, The Man in Question, BillFlis, Astuishin, Twalls, RMHED, Hu12, Seqsea, Iridescent, Killdeer, Fsotrain09, Tony Fox, Woodshed, JayHenry, Tawkerbot2,
The Other Brian, Dycedarg, Iced Kola, GeorgeLouis, W guice, NaBUru38, ShelfSkewed, FlyingToaster, Musashi1600, Dario D., Boaz
Benzvi, Aristophanes68, Tm8992, Gogo Dodo, Corpx, Bourega, Chrislk02, Eric O. Costello, Legis, Ebyabe, Scratchcard, Audry2, Angelrendon, Epbr123, Java13690, Therequiembellishere, Escarbot, Trlkly, AntiVandalBot, SummerPhD, Teddyboy ben, Ctrow, DocBrown,
JAnDbot, Deective, MER-C, Fetchcomms, Dapsv, VoABot II, P64, Fusionmix, DaWarMage, KConWiki, 28421u2232nfenfcenc, Zorque,
Exiledone, W like wiki, DGG, Flowanda, Jallen85, Mintzs, LedgendGamer, DrKiernan, Adavidb, Monkeyzpop, Eli826, AdamBMorgan,
Cadwaladr, BostonRed, 2help, Archimedean, Frexes, Martial75, GrahamHardy, Rvandyke, HamatoKameko, VolkovBot, LeilaniLad, SexyBern, Philip Trueman, TXiKiBoT, Cosmic Latte, Flyte35, Vipinhari, Pullarius1, Mosmof, Funnycricket, Hi--wasabi, BotKung, Sarc37,
Laracroft33, Falcon8765, Temporaluser, AngChenrui, SieBot, SheepNotGoats, Jesusfreekao, 2145ralph, Toddst1, Flyer22, Oda Mari,
OKBot, Arvandelay, Thatotherdude, Wcb9320, Squash Racket, Faithlessthewonderboy, ClueBot, GorillaWarfare, Snigbrook, The Thing
That Should Not Be, Wysprgr2005, LizardJr8, Excirial, Alexbot, Knarf10, Encyclopedia77, Gtstricky, Lartoven, Eustress, Dj manton, La
Pianista, Aitias, Floul1, SoxBot III, Prayer for the wild at heart, WikHead, Noctibus, Good Olfactory, Marklar2007, NonvocalScream, Addbot, Pman2, SirFalsta, Ronhjones, TutterMouse, Gaiole, Ccacsmss, Fistsofham, Vyom25, Tassedethe, Numbo3-bot, Tide rolls, Ale66,
Legobot, Luckas-bot, Watman21, HG94BC, Alexkin, AnomieBOT, Weirdhairboy, JackieBot, Ulric1313, Je Muscato, Battezu, Brightgalrs, Xqbot, OlYeller21, XZeroBot, Davshul, Srich32977, Raprchju, GrouchoBot, Kilgourian13, Pz0110, Doulos Christos, SchnitzelMannGreek, Erik9, Green Cardamom, Armando Navarro, FrescoBot, Godneck, Danrules2, Citation bot 1, Jonesey95, RedBot, MastiBot,
Csilllag, Saayiit, TobeBot, DixonDBot, Zonafan39, Sheogorath, Drrll, Jonkerz, James Gunasekera, Pakimark, The Utahraptor, Cortina2,
Thenature, WikitanvirBot, Gfoley4, Wikipelli, Mantha.satish, Emily Jensen, Sdupland2, Rjharrisjr, Theauthortx, Mice never shop, Tomgg,
ClueBot NG, MelbourneStar, Mallajunaid, Bazuz, Alphasinus, SnehaNar, Opal8164, Justintbassett, Reroades, CitationCleanerBot, Writ
Keeper, Polmandc, Salty3dog561, Anbu121, Pratyya Ghosh, Harrison 1979, James123456767574, M25cl, Lugia2453, Mikeykard27,
Epicgenius, SurfRabbit, Jhscarborough, Cu rbml, Tentinator, Lnvy23, Themaster1112, Deanstu, Jasmeen kaur (Jass), Truebutnot, TheInformativePanda, Royharris, Maychang2, Peony13, M2mancz and Anonymous: 428

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