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The Pulitzer Prize

The Pulitzer Prize: Words That Make History

Introduction:

The Pulitzer Prizes are a series of annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City to honor outstanding public service and achievement in American journalism, letters, and music. Established in 1917 by newspaper magnate and journalist Joseph Pulitzer, the awards are presented each May. The awards are given in 23 categories, with 14 in journalism, 6 in letters, and 1 in music. The awards are given on the recommendation of a committee of judges appointed by the university, the Pulitzer Prize Board.

Table of contents:

• What is Pulitzer Prize?
• History of Pulitzer Prize
• Past & Current categories of Pulitzer Prize
• The Gold Medal
• The Pulitzer Prize Board
• Nomination Process
• Significance of Pulitzer Prize
• Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
• List of Pulitzer Prize winner of 2020s by categories

• What is Pulitzer Prize?

In the United States, Columbia University in New York City awards a total of 23 prizes in 21 categories for achievements in journalism, the arts, and literature each year. These are known as the Pulitzer Prizes. The Pulitzer Prize is a prestigious American award in journalism and literature. Each category of the award has its own judging criteria. All award winners must have demonstrated outstanding skill in their respective fields or have created work that conveys a powerful message. The Pulitzer Prizes were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer. It is an annual award, given primarily in journalism and literature, but also includes photography, cartooning, drama, and music. The winners of this award are each awarded a certificate and a cash prize of $15,000. In the public service category only, a gold medal is awarded.

• History of Pulitzer Prize:

Newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer left a bequest to Columbia University to establish a journalism school and the Pulitzer Prizes. The prizes and scholarships were valued at $250,000. The prizes included four prizes in journalism, four in letters and drama, one in education, and four traveling scholarships. The first Pulitzer Prizes were announced on June 4, 1917, after his death. Since then, the prizes have been awarded annually in May. However, during McCormick's tenure, according to the Chicago Tribune, under the control of Colonel Robert R. McCormick, the Pulitzer Prizes had lost their significance as "a society of mutual appreciation." As a result, the newspaper refused to compete for the prizes until 1961.

• Past & Current categories of Pulitzer Prize:

Past Categories

• Journalism:

• Reporting—1917 to 1947
• Local Reporting—1953 to 1963
• Local General or Spot News Reporting—1964 to 1984
• General News Reporting—1985 to 1990
• Spot News Reporting—1991 to 1997
• Local Reporting—1953 to 1963
• Local Investigative Specialized Reporting—1964 to 1984
• Explanatory Journalism—1985 to 1997
• Specialized Reporting—1985 to 1990
• Beat Reporting—1991 to 2006
• Correspondence—1929 to 1947
• Telegraphic Reporting (National)—1942 to 1947
• Telegraphic Reporting (International)—1942 to 1947
• Criticism or Commentary—1970 to 1972
• Editorial Cartooning—1922 to 2021
• Photography—1942 to 1967
• Spot News Photography—1968 to 1999
• Newspaper History Award—1918

• Letters, Drama & Music:

• Novel—1917 to 1947

Current Categories

• Journalism:

• Public Service—1917 to present.
• Breaking News Reporting—1998 to present.
• Investigative Reporting—1985 to present.
• Explanatory Reporting—1998 to Present.
• Local reporting—1948 to 1952, 2007 to present.
• National Reporting—1948 to present.
• International Reporting—1948 to Present.
• Feature Writing—1979 to present.
• Commentary—1973 to present.
• Criticism—1973 to present.
• Editorial Writing—1917 to Present.
• Illustrated Reporting and Commentary—2022 to present.
• Breaking News Photography—2000 to present.
• Feature Photography—1968 to present.
• Audio Reporting—2020 to present.

• Letters, Drama & Music:

• Fiction—1948 to present.
• Drama—1917 to present.
• History—1917 to present.
• Biography—1917 to present.
• Memoir or Autobiography—2023 to present.
• Poetry—1922 to present.
• General Nonfiction—1962 to present.
• Music—1943 to present.

• Special Citations:

• Special Citations and Awards—1930 to present.

• The Gold Medal:

The Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal is awarded annually to the American news organization that has won the Public Service Award. In 1919, the medal was designed by sculptor Daniel Chester French, with Henry Augustus Lukeman as his collaborator. The medal, about two inches in diameter and one inch thick, is made of silver and 24-karat gold plate. One side of the medal features a profile of Benjamin Franklin, based on a bust by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon. The other side depicts a snow-covered, bare-chested printer at work, his shirt draped over the end of a press, and the inscription around the printer reads: "For unselfish and meritorious public service rendered during the year by an American newspaper." The Franklin side of the gold medal is engraved with the name of the winning news organization, while the other side commemorates the year of the award. The medal is presented to the winning newspaper in an elegant cherry-wood box with brass hardware.

• The Pulitzer Prize Board:

Each year, as of January 25, approximately 1,100 journalism entries are submitted to the Pulitzer Prize website. Anyone can submit entries based on information from a U.S. newspaper, magazine, or news site that has been published regularly during the calendar year and adheres to the highest journalistic standards. In late February or early March, a panel of more than 80 editors, publishers, writers, and academics meets at the School of Journalism to judge entries in 15 journalism categories. Each year, only 23 awards are given from more than 2,500 entries in the competition. More than 100 distinguished judges select three nominees in each of the 23 categories from 22 separate juries. Confidentiality is an essential element of the service of the Pulitzer Prize jury, board members, and reviewers. The categories of photography, breaking news, and features are judged by a single jury. The board has repeatedly redefined the journalism categories to keep pace with the evolution of American journalism. From 1964 to 1999, each journalism jury had five members, but due to the expansion of the public service, investigative reporting, explanatory reporting, feature writing, and commentary sections, the number of members on these juries has been increased to seven since 1999.

• Nomination Process:

The Pulitzer Prizes are considered by examining only the works specifically included.

• The entry fee for each selected entry category is $75.
• Entries must fit into at least one of the designated award categories.
• The Pulitzer Prize Board has 20 independent juries for the 21 award categories, and 102 people serve on them annually. One jury recommends winners for both photography awards.
• The Public Service, Investigative Reporting, Explanatory Reporting, Feature Writing, and Commentary categories each have seven members, with juries usually consisting of five members.
• A book jury consists of three people, and the winner is selected by majority vote. In the event of a tie, an entirely new entry is selected. In this case, the board may also decide not to award a prize.
• Members of the board and journalism jury are not compensated for their participation, while juries in letters, music, and theater are paid an honorarium of $2,000 per year, and each chair is given a $2,500 stipend.

• Significance of Pulitzer Award:

The Pulitzer Prize is a highly prestigious and influential annual award that recognizes outstanding achievement in journalism, literature, and music, serving as a symbol of excellence and a testament to the strength of these fields.

Key aspects:

• The Pulitzer Prize is considered the highest national honor for print journalism, literary achievement, and musical composition in the United States.
• The prize was established in 1917 by journalist and newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, whose money was donated to Columbia University and Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism to raise funds for the award.
• The Pulitzer Prize is awarded annually in 23 categories, including journalism, literature, and music, with some categories recognizing specific fields such as history, biography, and fiction.
• Journalism awards include public service, breaking news, explanatory reporting, investigative reporting, and international reporting.
• Winning a Pulitzer Prize signifies an exceptional level of achievement and is often seen as a mark of excellence in journalism, literature, and music.
• Winning a Pulitzer Prize can significantly enhance the profile and credibility of a news organization, author, or composer.

Essentially, the Pulitzer Prize is a prestigious and influential award that honors outstanding work in journalism, letters, and music, reflecting the legacy of Joseph Pulitzer's vision for excellence and service through these fields.

• Pulitzer Prize for Fiction:

The Pulitzer Prize is one of seven American Pulitzer Prizes awarded annually for literature, drama, and music. It recognizes outstanding fiction by an American author published in the previous calendar year. The Pulitzer Prize for the Novel (awarded 1918–1947) was one of the original Pulitzer Prizes; the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven awards, four of which were awarded that year (no novel prize was awarded in 1917, the first having been awarded in 1918). In 1948, the name was changed to the Pulitzer Prize, and the eligibility was expanded to include short stories, novellas, and poems, as well as novels. Since 1980, finalists have been announced, usually three in total.

• List of Pulitzer Prize winner of 2020s by categories:

• Criticism and studies:

Some critics of the Pulitzer Prize have made various accusations against the organization. According to conservative columnist L. Brent Bozell Jr., the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary has a "liberal legacy." As evidence, he points to a 31-year period in which only five conservatives have won the prize for commentary. For this reason, in 2010, Kathleen Parker, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, claimed to be "too stupid," often handing over power to a few big frauds and fools through political lobbying and logrolling. A 2012 academic study by Yong Volz, a journalism professor at the University of Missouri, and Francis Lee of the Chinese University of Hong Kong found that "only 27% of Pulitzer winners since 1991 have been women, and about 33% of those in newsrooms are women." As a result, researchers have concluded that a female applicant needs a higher level of training and connections than male candidates.

Conclusion:

Despite its many critics, the Pulitzer Prizes are considered to be of great significance in journalism, literature, and music. The Pulitzer Prizes, which were started by Joseph Pulitzer in 1917, continue to this day. The awards honor outstanding individuals in the fields of commentary and culture.