The 2024 Pulitzer Prizes were revealed by Columbia University, which gives out the awards that are highly respected in journalism and literature. Justin Chang won a Pulitzer for his film reviews at the Los Angeles Times. He worked at the paper for almost eight years before moving to the New Yorker earlier this year. The prizes also come with a $15,000 reward in most categories.
Chang was recognized for his detailed and varied film critiques that capture the modern movie-watching experience, according to the Pulitzer Prize Board. He also contributes as a critic for NPR’s “Fresh Air” and previously worked at Variety, starting as an intern and eventually becoming the publication’s main film critic.
He won over fellow finalists Zadie Smith, known for her review of “Tár” in The New York Review of Books, and Vinson Cunningham, nominated for her theater reviews for The New Yorker.
The late writer and hip-hop critic Greg Tate, who wrote for The Village Voice and other publications, received a special citation. He passed away in 2021.
The Pulitzer Board praised his use of language from literature, academia, popular culture, and hip-hop, and stated that it was as influential as his ideas. They also noted his creative contributions and original thinking, especially in his groundbreaking hip-hop criticism, which continue to inspire future generations, particularly writers and critics of color.
Another special citation was given to journalists and media covering the war in Gaza. Recently, they have also recognized journalists reporting on wars in Ukraine and Afghanistan.
The Pulitzer Prizes acknowledged the loss of journalists, poets, and writers in the effort to document the experiences of Palestinians and others in Gaza, under severe conditions. They emphasized the importance of preserving their invaluable records, stating that the prizes honor journalism, arts, and literature, marking the loss of these significant voices.
The New York Times’ staff secured the International Reporting Pulitzer for its coverage of Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, failures of Israeli intelligence, and the Israeli military’s extensive, deadly response in Gaza. The Reuters staff received the Breaking News Photography Pulitzer for its coverage of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas and Israel’s subsequent response.
ProPublica won the Public Service Pulitzer for its reporting on the Supreme Court and the influence of billionaires providing gifts and travel to justices. Additionally, one of the National Reporting prizes was awarded to the Reuters staff for their series of stories investigating Elon Musk and his car and aerospace businesses, which led to inquiries into his companies both domestically and in Europe. The other National Reporting prize went to the Washington Post for its examination of the AR-15 assault rifle.
See the complete list of this year’s Pulitzer Prize winners below. You can also view the video announcement of the winners above.
JOURNALISM
- Public Service — ProPublica
- Breaking News Reporting — Staff of Lookout Santa Cruz
- Investigative Reporting — Hannah Dreier of The New York Times
- Explanatory Reporting — Sarah Stillman of The New Yorker
- Local Reporting — Sarah Conway of City Bureau and Trina Reynolds-Tyler of the Invisible Institute
- National Reporting — Staff of Reuters
- Staff of The Washington Post
- International Reporting — Staff of The New York Times
- Feature Writing — Katie Engelhart, contributing writer, The New York Times
- Commentary — Vladimir Kara-Murza, contributor, The Washington Post
- Criticism — Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times
- Editorial Writing — David E. Hoffman of The Washington Post
- Illustrated Reporting and Commentary —
- Medar de la Cruz, contributor, The New Yorker
- Breaking News Photography — Photography Staff of Reuters
- Feature Photography — Photography Staff of Associated Press
- Audio Reporting — Staffs of the Invisible Institute and USG Audio
Letters and Drama
- Fiction — Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips (Knopf)
- Drama — Primary Trust by Eboni Booth
- History — No Right to an Honest Living: The Struggle of Boston’s Black Workers in the Civil War Era by Jacqueline Jones (Basic Books)
- Biography — King: A Life by Jonathan Eig (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
- Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo (Simon & Schuster)
- Memoir or Autobiography — Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice by Cristina Rivera Garza (Hogarth)
- Poetry — Tripas: Poems by Brandon Som (Georgia Review Books)
- General Nonfiction — A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy by Nathan Thrall (Metropolitan Books)
Music
- Adagio (For Wadada Leo Smith) by Tyshawn Sorey, premiered on March 16, 2023 at Atlanta Symphony Hall.
Special Citations
- Greg Tate
- Journalists and Media Workers Covering the War in Gaza
