Have you ever been perusing the aisles of a bookstore when you come across a book with a large gold sticker in the corner reading “Pulitzer Prize Winner” and a year? Sounds like it must be a great book. Here is what a Pulitzer Prize really is, and why it does show that a book is worth reading.
By Jayne Turner – Staff Writer
History
Founded in 1917 by Joseph Pulitzer, a newspaper publisher, this award began as a mark of fantastic journalism. Pulitzer believes that journalism should be more than entertainment. It should inform the public, expose corruption, and serve democracy. This prize is meant to honor that and continue his legacy.
When Pulitzer died in 1911, he left his money to help found Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and to give out these annual prizes.
Categories
They began by emphasizing public service, reporting, and ethical journalism. Over time, this has changed as the media evolved. As investigative journalism and civil rights gained prominence, the prizes began recognizing work in social justice, government accountability, and war. Diversity and inclusion began to be considered.
From the 2000’s to the present, online journalism has become viable, and nontraditional news organizations can win prizes, too. Commonly awarded concepts include climate change, technology, inequality, and global conflicts.
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How winners are selected
Annually, the Pulitzer Prize Board sifts through submissions and chooses winners. Organizations and publishers must submit their work for consideration, and they must select a specific category. These entries include a brief explanation of why it should be considered. Each category is judged by a separate jury made up of experts. Journalists, editors, critics, and scholars often make up these juries. After reviewing, the jury selects three finalists to move up to the board, who ultimately select the winner.
The board is made up of about 20 members, including senior journalists, editors, academics, and leaders in the arts. They vote for a winner in each category, and the work with the majority vote wins! In rare cases, the board may choose no winner in the category, or a winner not among the finalists. Whatever they decide, it must be agreed upon by the majority of members.
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Unusual and groundbreaking winners
The Public Service award was presented in 1973 to The Washington Post for its investigative reporting on the Watergate scandal, journalism that exposed deep political corruption and ultimately contributed to President Richard Nixon’s resignation.
In 1992, Maus by Art Spiegelman won a Special Award for his graphic novel about the Holocaust, told using animals as characters. In this unique cartoon, the Jews were mice, and the Nazis were cats. This was groundbreaking because cartoons were rarely considered for major literary awards.
In 2016, the hit Broadway musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda won in the Drama category. That same year, they took the Tony for Best Musical. Read more about the rare double win here.
In 2018, DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar won in the Music category. This represents a culture shift, as the previous prizes awarded in the music category focused on classical music and jazz.
The Pulitzer Prize marks a piece of art as something impactful, something that is educational beyond simple entertainment.
