ISSUE

Summer 2016

The Pulitzer Centennial

The effects of power may be obvious—high office, laws, riches, regulations, even life and death—but power itself is only an idea, one that journalists have long struggled to describe. For a century, Pulitzer-winning works—some of the best journalism ever produced—have readily confronted the powerful, and constantly held power to account. As the Pulitzer Prize celebrates its centennial year, Nieman Reports takes a look at a century of Pulitzer journalism speaking truth to power, setting the tone for another 100 years of remarkable work. Our Summer 2016 issue also highlights forgotten Prize-winning works worth remembering, an examination of competing news outfits teaming up to do watchdog stories—including many that have won the Pulitzer, and the business reporting at the core of much Pulitzer journalism.

Articles

J.R. Moehringer, NF ’01

J.R. Moehringer, NF ’01

Feature Writing, 2000 · Los Angeles Times
Gilbert M. Gaul, NF ’83

Gilbert M. Gaul, NF ’83

Public Service, 1990 · The Philadelphia Inquirer
Mary Jordan, NF ’90

Mary Jordan, NF ’90

International Reporting, 2003 · The Washington Post
Heidi Evans, NF ’93

Heidi Evans, NF ’93

Editorial Writing, 2007 · New York Daily News
Pulitzer’s Forgotten Classics

Pulitzer’s Forgotten Classics

From the start, the Pulitzer Prizes have sought to recognize journalists for investigating how power works, for holding the powerful to account, and for exposing abuses of power. Yet power…
Richard Read, NF ’97 and Brent Walth, NF ’06

Richard Read, NF ’97 and Brent Walth, NF ’06

Public Service, 2001 · The Oregonian
Raquel Rutledge, NF ’12

Raquel Rutledge, NF ’12

Local Reporting, 2010 · Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Alex S. Jones, NF ’82

Specialized Reporting, 1987 · The New York Times
Madeleine Blais, NF ’86

Madeleine Blais, NF ’86

Feature Writing, 1980 · The Miami Herald

William K. Marimow, NF ’83

Investigative Reporting, 1985 · The Philadelphia Inquirer

Eyes on the Prize

The Pulitzer's greatest achievement over the past 100 years lies not in naming winners, but in setting standards
Nathan G. Caldwell, NF ’41 and Gene S. Graham, NF ’63

Nathan G. Caldwell, NF ’41 and Gene S. Graham, NF ’63

National Reporting, 1962 · The Nashville Tennessean
Maria  Henson, NF ’94

Maria Henson, NF ’94

Editorial Writing, 1992 · Lexington Herald-Leader
George Rodrigue, NF ’90

George Rodrigue, NF ’90

National Reporting, 1986 · The Dallas Morning News

Shirley Christian, NF ’74

International Reporting, 1981 · The Miami Herald
Stan Grossfeld, NF ’92

Stan Grossfeld, NF ’92

Feature Photography, 1985 · The Boston Globe

Hedrick Smith, NF ’70

Public Service, 1972 · The New York Times

Gene Miller, NF ’68

Local Investigative Specialized Reporting, 1967 · The Miami Herald
Dale Maharidge, NF ’88

Dale Maharidge, NF ’88

General Nonfiction, 1990 · “And Their Children After Them” (photos by Michael Williamson)
William Lambert, NF ’60 Wallace Turner, NF ’59

William Lambert, NF ’60 Wallace Turner, NF ’59

Local Reporting, 1957 · The Oregonian
Doug Marlette, NF ’81

Doug Marlette, NF ’81

Editorial Cartooning, 1988 · The Atlanta Constitution, The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer
Anne  Hull,  NF ’95

Anne Hull, NF ’95

Public Service, 2008 · The Washington Post
Keyes Beech, NF ’53

Keyes Beech, NF ’53

International Reporting, 1951 · Chicago Daily News
Eugene Robinson, NF ’88

Eugene Robinson, NF ’88

Commentary, 2009 · The Washington Post

John Hughes, NF ’62

International Reporting, 1967 · The Christian Science Monitor

Daniel R. Biddle, NF ’90, H.G. Bissinger, NF ’86, and Fredric N. Tulsky, NF ’89

Investigative Reporting, 1987 · The Philadelphia Inquirer
Stanley Forman,  NF ’80

Stanley Forman, NF ’80

Spot News Photography, 1977 · Boston Herald American
Anthony Lewis, NF ’57

Anthony Lewis, NF ’57

National Reporting, 1955 · Washington Daily News

Cynthia Tucker, NF ’89

Commentary, 2007 · The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Anja Niedringhaus, NF ’07

Anja Niedringhaus, NF ’07

Breaking News Photography, 2005 · The Associated Press

Ken Armstrong, NF ’01

Explanatory Reporting, 2016 · The Marshall Project

Robert A. Caro, NF ’66

Biography, 2003 · “Master of the Senate”
Ann Marie Lipinski, NF ’90

Ann Marie Lipinski, NF ’90

Investigative Reporting, 1988 · Chicago Tribune
Harry S.  Ashmore,  NF ’42

Harry S. Ashmore, NF ’42

Editorial Writing, 1958 · Arkansas Gazette
A Century of Pulitzer Journalism Speaking Truth to Power

A Century of Pulitzer Journalism Speaking Truth to Power

There it is, in the very first sentence of Theodore H. White’s Pulitzer Prize-winning chronicle of the battle between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon for the presidency: The curious…