History of Pulitzer Prize in Timeline

The Pulitzer Prizes are a set of 23 annual awards presented by Columbia University recognizing achievements in journalism, arts, and letters within the United States. Established in 1917 through the will of newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, the prizes celebrate excellence across various fields. They are considered a high honor in American media and arts, highlighting significant contributions to journalism, literature, music, and drama.

October 29, 1911: Death of Joseph Pulitzer

On October 29, 1911, Joseph Pulitzer passed away, leaving provisions in his will that led to the establishment of the Pulitzer Prizes.

June 4, 1917: First Pulitzer Prizes Awarded

On June 4, 1917, the first Pulitzer Prizes were awarded, following Joseph Pulitzer's death and the establishment of the awards in his name.

1917: Establishment of the Pulitzer Prizes

In 1917, the Pulitzer Prizes were established by the will of Joseph Pulitzer and are administered by Columbia University in New York City. The awards recognize achievements in U.S. journalism, arts, and letters.

1918: Pulitzer Prize for the Novel awarded

In 1918, Pulitzer Prize for the Novel awarded.

1947: Pulitzer Prize for the Novel awarded

In 1947, Pulitzer Prize for the Novel awarded.

1948: Local Reporting Split into Two Categories

In 1948, the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting was split into two categories: Breaking News Reporting and Investigative Reporting.

1950: Operational Separation from Journalism School

Since 1950, the Pulitzer Prize Board and administration have been operationally separate from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

1954: Dean Participates Ex Officio

From its inception until 1954, the dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism served on the board of Pulitzer Prize.

1954: John Hohenberg becomes administrator

In 1954, John Hohenberg became administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes.

1961: Chicago Tribune Ends Boycott of Pulitzer Prize

In 1961, the Chicago Tribune, under a new leadership, ended its long-standing refusal to compete for the Pulitzer Prize. This decision came after years of the newspaper's dismissal of the prize under Colonel Robert R. McCormick.

1966: Formation of the National Magazine Awards

In 1966, due to the Pulitzer Prize Advisory Board's historical resistance to admitting magazines into the competition, the National Magazine Awards were established at the Columbia Journalism School.

1975: Board Makes All Prize Decisions

Since 1975, the Pulitzer Prize Board has made all prize decisions independently.

1976: Dean Returns to Board

Beginning again in 1976, the dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism participated in deliberations as ex officio members, but cannot vote.

1976: Richard T. Baker becomes administrator

In 1976, Richard T. Baker became administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes.

1980: Announcement of Nominated Finalists Begins

In 1980, the Pulitzer Prize began announcing the names of nominated finalists. Prior to this, only winners were publicly identified. The term 'nominee' is reserved for entrants who became finalists.

1981: Robert Christopher becomes administrator

In 1981, Robert Christopher became administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes.

1986: Joseph Pulitzer Jr. Retires

In 1986, Joseph Pulitzer Jr. retired after serving as permanent chair of the Pulitzer Prize board for 31 years, and the chair has typically rotated to the most senior member on an annual basis.

1987: Special Citation Awarded to Joseph Pulitzer, Jr.

In 1987, Joseph Pulitzer, Jr. received a Special Citation and Award for Pulitzer Prize service.

1989: Bill Dedman wins investigative reporting prize

In 1989, Bill Dedman of NBC News received the investigative reporting prize.

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1991: Academic Study of Pulitzer Winners

Since 1991, academic study of Pulitzer winners.

1992: Robert Christopher leaves post as administrator

In 1992, Robert Christopher left the position of administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes.

1993: Seymour Topping becomes administrator

In 1993, Seymour Topping became administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes.

2002: Sig Gissler becomes administrator

In 2002, Sig Gissler became administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes.

2007: Local Reporting Category Revived

In 2007, the Local Reporting category was revived as a new category to replace the Beat Reporting category.

2007: Online Elements Permitted in Journalism Categories

In 2007, the Pulitzer Prize began permitting an assortment of online elements in all journalism categories, except for the two photography categories, which continued to restrict entries to still images.

December 2008: Online-Only News Sources Considered

In December 2008, it was announced that for the first time, content published in online-only news sources would be considered for the Pulitzer Prize.

2010: Kathleen Parker Wins Pulitzer Prize

In 2010, Kathleen Parker won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. She humorously suggested her recognition was due to being a "conservative basher".

2012: Study Finds Gender Disparity

A 2012 academic study found that only 27% of Pulitzer winners since 1991 were females, despite newsrooms being approximately 33% female. The study suggests a higher level of training and connectedness is required for a female applicant to be awarded the prize compared to male counterparts.

2012: Controversy over Pulitzer Prize Nomination Claims

In 2012, Bill Dedman criticized Betty Liu and Jonah Goldberg for claiming "Pulitzer Prize–Nominated" status based on mere submission. He likened it to claiming an Oscar nomination for a film submission, highlighting the Pulitzers' selection process.

2014: Mike Pride becomes administrator

In 2014, Mike Pride became administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes.

2015: Magazines Allowed to Enter Select Categories

In 2015, magazines were allowed to enter the Pulitzer Prize competition for the first time, but only in two categories: Investigative Reporting and Feature Writing.

October 2016: Magazine Eligibility Extended

In October 2016, magazine eligibility for the Pulitzer Prize was extended to all journalism categories.

2016: Expanded Eligibility for Magazines

In 2016, the provision allowing magazines to enter expanded to three additional categories: International Reporting, Criticism and Editorial Cartooning. Kathryn Schulz and Emily Nussbaum of The New Yorker became the first magazine affiliates to receive the prize under the expanded criteria.

December 2017: Pulitzer Prize Categories Defined

In December 2017, the Plan of Award defined the Pulitzer Prize categories.

2017: Dana Canedy becomes administrator

In 2017, Dana Canedy served as administrator. Canedy was the first woman and first person of color to hold the position.

2017: Mike Pride leaves post as administrator

In 2017, Mike Pride left the position of administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes.

2017: Breaking News Reporting Category Expanded

In 2017, the Breaking News Reporting category was expanded to include all domestic breaking news events, no longer confined to local reporting.

July 2020: Edward Kliment Appointed Acting Administrator

In July 2020, Edward Kliment was appointed acting administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes when Dana Canedy became senior vice president and publisher of Simon & Schuster's flagship eponymous imprint.

2020: Audio Reporting Category Added

In 2020, the Audio Reporting category was added to the Pulitzer Prizes. The first prize in this category was awarded to "The Out Crowd", an episode of the public radio program This American Life.

April 2022: Marjorie Miller named administrator

In April 2022, Marjorie Miller, former Associated Press and Los Angeles Times editor, was named administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, succeeding Dana Canedy.