The Pulitzer Prize, widely regarded as the pinnacle of achievement in American journalism and the arts, announced its 2024 winners and finalists on Monday at Columbia University. This prestigious award program recognizes exceptional contributions across various categories, from investigative reporting to groundbreaking music compositions. Here’s a closer look at the 2024 ceremony’s highlights.
Justin Chang Wins Criticism Award for “Richly Evocative” Film Reviews
The 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism was awarded to Justin Chang, currently the film critic for The New Yorker. Chang’s award recognizes his 2023 work published while he was a film critic at the Los Angeles Times. The Pulitzer Committee lauded his “varied and richly evocative” writing that reflects how American audiences engage with cinema today.
Diverse Nominees Showcase Breadth of Film Criticism
Other nominees in the criticism category further illustrate the diverse voices and approaches within film analysis. Zadie Smith, a renowned novelist and essayist, received a nomination for her New York Review of Books review of the 2022 film “Tar.” Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker’s theater critic, was also nominated for his body of work in 2023, commended for his “formidable knowledge of the stage and the mechanics of performance along with canny observations on the human condition.”
Special Citation Honors the Legacy of Cultural Critic Greg Tate
A special citation was awarded posthumously to the late Greg Tate, a cultural critic whose work with The Village Voice and Rolling Stone left a lasting impact. Marjorie Miller, administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, praised Tate’s unique language that blended elements of literature, academia, popular culture, and hip-hop. She further emphasized his influence on future generations of writers and critics, particularly those of color, highlighting the “aesthetic, innovations, and intellectual originality” that marked his pioneering hip-hop criticism.
Unveiling the 2024 Journalism Award Winners
Beyond the realm of film criticism, the Pulitzer Prizes honor excellence in a multitude of journalistic endeavors. Here’s a breakdown of some key journalism awards:
- Breaking News Photography: Lookout Santa Cruz staff for their coverage of the devastating local effects of the January 2023 floods.
- Investigative Reporting: New York Times writer Hannah Dreier for her exposé on migrant child labor within the United States.
- Public Service: ProPublica for a series of investigative articles revealing connections between Supreme Court justices and wealthy donors.
- National Reporting: Reuters staff for investigative reporting on Elon Musk’s ventures – SpaceX and Tesla.
Artistic Achievements Recognized in Literature, History, and More
The Pulitzer Prizes also encompass outstanding works of art, music, and literature. Here are some notable awardees in the arts categories:
- Fiction: Jayne Anne Phillips for her novel “Night Watch”
- History: Jacqueline Jones for her book “No Right to an Honest Living: The Struggles of Boston’s Black Workers in the Civil War Era”
- Biography: Joint award to Jonathan Eig for “King: A Life” and Ilyon Woo for “Master-Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey From Slavery to Freedom”
- Drama: Eboni Booth for her play “Primary Trust”
- Music: Tyshawn Sorey for his musical composition “Adagio (For Wadada Leo Smith)”
