Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards

The Pulitzer Prizes

Joseph Pulitzer    •    Pulitzers by year Pulitzer winners

Journalism:

Public Service Breaking News Reporting Investigative Reporting Explanatory Reporting Local Reporting National Reporting International Reporting Feature Writing Commentary Criticism Editorial Writing Editorial Cartooning Breaking News Photography Feature Photography

Letters, Drama, and Music:

Biography or Autobiography Fiction General Non-Fiction History Poetry Drama Music

Other prizes:

Special Citations and Awards

The Pulitzer Prize jury has the option of awarding special citations where they consider necessary.

Journalism awards

• 1924: A special prize of $1000 was awarded to the widow of Frank I. Cobb, New York World, in recognition of the distinction of her husband's editorial writing and service.
• 1930: William O. Dapping, Auburn Citizen (New York). A special prize for his reportorial work in connection with the outbreak at Auburn prison during December, 1929.
• 1938: Edmonton Journal. A special bronze plaque for its editorial leadership against the Accurate News and Information Act, in defense of the freedom of the press, in the Province of Alberta, Canada.
• 1941: The New York Times, for the public educational value of its foreign news report, exemplified by its scope, by excellence of writing and presentation and supplementary background information, illustration, and interpretation
• 1944: Byron Price, Director of the Office of Censorship, for the creation and administration of the newspaper and radio codes.
• 1945: Cartographers of the American press, for maps of the war fronts that have helped notably to clarify and increase public information on the progress of the Armies and Navies engaged.
• 1947: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, for its unswerving adherence to the public and professional ideals of its founder and its constructive leadership in the field of American journalism.
• 1951: Cyrus L. Sulzberger of The New York Times for his exclusive interview with Archbishop Stepinac.
• 1951: The Advisory Board on the Pulitzer Prizes as a policy does not make any award to an individual member of the Board. In 1951, the Board decided that the outstanding instance of National Reporting done in 1950 was the exclusive interview with President Truman obtained by Arthur Krock of The New York Times, while Mr. Krock was a Board member. The Board therefore made no award in the National Reporting category.
• 1952: Max Kase of the New York Journal-American for his exclusive exposures of bribery and other forms of corruption in the popular American sport of basketball, which exposures tended to restore confidence in the game's integrity.
• 1952: The Kansas City Star, for the news coverage of the great regional flood of 1951 in Kansas and Northwestern Missouri - a distinguished example of editing and reporting that also gave the advance information that achieved the maximum of public protection.
• 1953: The New York Times, for the section of its Sunday newspaper edited by Lester Markel and headed, "Review of the Week," which for seventeen years has brought enlightenment and intelligent commentary to its readers.
• 1958: Walter Lippmann; nationally syndicated columnist of New York Herald Tribune, for the wisdom, perception and high sense of responsibility with which he has commented for many years on national and international affairs.
• 1964: Gannett Newspapers. A special citation for their program, "The Road To Integration," a distinguished example of the use of a newspaper group's resources to complement the work of its individual newspapers.
• 1978: Richard Lee Strout, for distinguished commentary from Washington over many years as staff correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor and contributor to The New Republic.

Letters awards

• 1918: Love Songs by Sara Teasdale. This award was made possible by a special grant from The Poetry Society.
• 1919: Corn Huskers by Carl Sandburg. This award was made possible by a special grant from The Poetry Society.
• 1919: Old Road to Paradise by Margaret Widdemer. This award was made possible by a special grant from The Poetry Society.
• 1957: Kenneth Roberts. A special citation is awarded to Kenneth Roberts for his historical novels which have long contributed to the creation of greater interest in our early American history.
• 1960: A special citation is awarded to The Defeat of the Spanish Armada by Garrett Mattingly, published by Houghton, Mifflin. It is a first class history and a literary work of high order.
• 1961: American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War. A special citation is given to The American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War as a distinguished example of American book publishing.
• 1973: James Thomas Flexner. A special citation to George Washington, Vols. I-IV, by James Thomas Flexner.
• 1977: Alex Haley. A special award to Alex Haley for Roots, the story of a black family from its origins in Africa through seven generations to the present day in America.
• 1978: E.B. White. A special citation to E. B. White for his letters, essays and the full body of his work.
• 1984: A special citation to Theodor Seuss Geisel, more widely known as Dr. Seuss, for his special contribution over nearly half a century to the education and enjoyment of America's children and their parents.
• 1992: Art Spiegelman for Maus.
• 2006: Edmund S. Morgan. A Special Citation to Edmund S. Morgan for a creative and deeply influential body of work as an American historian that spans the last half century.

Arts awards

• 1944: Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. A special award for Oklahoma!
• 1974: Roger Sessions. A special citation to Roger Sessions for his life's work as a distinguished American composer.
• 1976: Scott Joplin. A special award is bestowed posthumously on Scott Joplin, in this Bicentennial Year, for his contributions to American music.
• 1982: Milton Babbitt. A special citation to Milton Babbitt for his life's work as a distinguished and seminal American composer.
• 1985: A special citation to William Schuman for more than half a century of contribution to American music as composer and educational leader.
• 1998: George Gershwin. Awarded posthumously to George Gershwin, commemorating the centennial year of his birth, for his distinguished and enduring contributions to American music.
• 1999: Duke Ellington. Bestowed posthumously on Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington, commemorating the centennial year of his birth, in recognition of his musical genius, which evoked aesthetically the principles of democracy through the medium of jazz and thus made an indelible contribution to art and culture.
• 2006: Thelonious Monk, for a "body of distinguished and innovative musical composition that has had a significant and enduring impact on the evolution of jazz."
• 2007: Ray Bradbury, for his "distinguished, prolific and deeply influential career as an unmatched author of science fiction and fantasy" and John Coltrane, for his "masterful improvisation, supreme musicianship and iconic centrality to the history of jazz."
• 2008: Bob Dylan, "for his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power."
• 2010: Hank Williams, "for his craftsmanship as a songwriter who expressed universal feelings with poignant simplicity and played a pivotal role in transforming country music into a major musical and cultural force in American life."

Pulitzer Prize service awards

• 1944: Mrs. William Allen White. A scroll indicating appreciation of Mr. White's interest and services during the past seven years as a member of the Advisory Board of the Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University.
• 1947: Columbia University and the Graduate School of Journalism, for their efforts to maintain and advance the high standards governing the Pulitzer Prize awards.
• 1948: Dr. Frank D. Fackenthal. A scroll indicating appreciation of Dr. Fackenthal's interest and service during the past years.
• 1976: Professor John Hohenberg. A special citation and an antique plaque inscribed by all the members of the Advisory Board, expressing appreciation for his services for 22 years as Administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes and for his achievements as teacher and journalist.
• 1987: Joseph Pulitzer, Jr., for his extraordinary services to American journalism and letters during his 31 years as chairman of the Pulitzer Prize Board and for his accomplishments as an editor and publisher.

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• 1996: Herb Caen, local columnist of the San Francisco Chronicle, for his extraordinary and continuing contribution as a voice and conscience of his city.