Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards facts for kids

The Pulitzer Prize is a famous award for great work in newspapers, books, and music. Sometimes, the prize committee gives out Special Citations and Awards. These are for amazing achievements that don't fit into the usual categories.

The Pulitzer Prize Board, the group that decides the winners, has given these special awards for many reasons. For example, they gave awards to famous musicians like George Gershwin, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, and Duke Ellington. This was because many people felt they should have been honored sooner for their incredible contributions to music.

In 2020, Ida B. Wells received a special award. She was honored for her brave reporting on violence against African Americans many years ago. The board also announced it would donate at least $50,000 to support causes important to her.

In 2021, a teenager named Darnella Frazier also received a special award. She was recognized for her courage in recording the murder of George Floyd.

Awards for Journalism

Journalism is the work of writing and sharing news. These special awards honor reporters, newspapers, and others who have done outstanding work in this field.

Year	Winner		Newspaper	Reason for Winning
1938		Edmonton Journal		"A special bronze plaque for its leadership in defending the freedom of the press in Alberta, Canada."
1941		The New York Times		"For the public educational value of its foreign news report."
1952	–	The Kansas City Star		"For its news coverage of the great flood of 1951 in Kansas and Missouri. Its reporting and advance information helped protect the public."
1964		Gannett Newspapers		"A special citation for their program, 'The Road to Integration,' a great example of how a newspaper group can support its individual newspapers."
1996		Herb Caen	San Francisco Chronicle	"For his amazing and continuing contribution as a voice and conscience of his city."
2019	–	The Capital Gazette		"A special award to honor the journalists and staff of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. They showed great courage after a terrible attack on their newsroom and continued to serve their community."
2021	–	Darnella Frazier		"For courageously recording the murder of George Floyd, a video that sparked protests around the world and showed the important role citizens play in finding truth and justice."
2025	–	Chuck Stone		"A special award to the late Chuck Stone for his groundbreaking work as a journalist covering the Civil Rights Movement and for co-founding the National Association of Black Journalists."

Awards for Letters

"Letters" is a term for written works like books and poetry. These awards celebrate authors and their important contributions to literature.

Year	Work	Winner		Reason for Winning
1957	Historical novels		Kenneth Roberts	"A special award to Kenneth Roberts for his historical novels, which have helped create greater interest in early American history."
1977	Roots		Alex Haley	"A special award to Alex Haley for Roots, the story of a Black family from its beginnings in Africa through seven generations in America."
1984	All of his books		Theodor Seuss Geisel	"A special award to Dr. Seuss, for his special contribution over nearly half a century to the education and enjoyment of America's children and their parents."
1992	Maus		Art Spiegelman	"For Maus", a graphic novel about the Holocaust.
2007	All of his works		Ray Bradbury	"For his distinguished, prolific and deeply influential career as an unmatched author of science fiction and fantasy."

Awards for Music

These special awards recognize musicians, composers, and songwriters for their lasting impact on American music.

Year	Winner		Reason for Winning
1976		Scott Joplin	"A special award given after his death to Scott Joplin for his contributions to American music."
1998		George Gershwin	"Awarded after his death to George Gershwin for his distinguished and enduring contributions to American music."
1999		Duke Ellington	"Given after his death to Duke Ellington in recognition of his musical genius, which made an indelible contribution to art and culture."
2006		Thelonious Monk	"For his body of distinguished and innovative musical composition that has had a significant and enduring impact on the evolution of jazz."
2007		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 key role in transforming country music."
2019		Aretha Franklin	"For her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades."

Images for kids

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  Byron Price, who received an award in 1944.

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  The logo for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which won in 1947.

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  Cyrus L. Sulzberger, a 1951 winner.

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  The old New York Times building. The newspaper won a special award in 1953.

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  Walter Lippmann, a 1958 winner.

• Richard Lee Strout.jpg

  Richard Lee Strout, who won in 1978.

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  Sara Teasdale, a poet who won in 1918.

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  Carl Sandburg, a poet who won in 1919.

• Margaret Widdemer.jpg

  Margaret Widdemer, another poet who won in 1919.

• The Defeat of the Spanish Armada.jpg

  The cover of The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, a book that won in 1960.

• American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War.jpg

  A book on the Civil War that received a special citation in 1961.

• James Thomas Flexner.jpg

  James Thomas Flexner, who won in 1973 for his books on George Washington.

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  E.B. White, a celebrated author who won in 1978.

• Edmund S. Morgan.jpg

  Edmund S. Morgan, a historian who won in 2006.

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  Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II won in 1944 for their musical Oklahoma!

• Roger Sessions.jpg

  Roger Sessions, a composer honored in 1974.

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  Milton Babbitt, a composer who won in 1982.

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  William Schuman, a composer and educator who won in 1985.

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  William Allen White, who was honored for his service in 1944.

• Frank D. Fackenthal.jpg

  Frank D. Fackenthal, honored for his service in 1948.

• John Hohenberg.jpg

  John Hohenberg, who was honored in 1976 for his work with the Pulitzer Prizes.

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  Joseph Pulitzer, Jr., who was honored in 1987 for his 31 years as chairman of the Pulitzer Prize Board.