Pulitzer Prizes

Pulitzer Prizes, series of 21 awards for outstanding achievements in drama, letters, music, and journalism. They were established by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of the New York World. They have been awarded annually since 1917 by Columbia University on recommendation of The Pulitzer Prize Board.

A newspaper-photography award was made for the first time in 1942, and an award for a musical composition for the first time in 1943. Between 1970 and 1979, prizes for commentary, criticism, and feature writing were added; categories for news reporting have been added and revised several times. The value of the prizes for journalism and the arts is $10,000 (originally $500); for meritorious public service, a gold medal is awarded instead. Dates following a prize title indicate the period during which an award in that category was given.

Reviewed by: Pulitzer Prize Board