Awards & Winners

1986 Pulitzer Prize

Check winners and nominations of 1986 Pulitzer Prize. Check awards winners of 1986 Pulitzer Prize. (Click on the Award name to show winners and nominees)

1986 Pulitzer Prize

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Larry McMurtry

Honored for : Lonesome Dove

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Larry McMurtry Lonesome Dove
Russell Banks Continental Drift
Anne Tyler The Accidental Tourist
Pulitzer Prize for Music

George Perle

Honored for : Wind Quintet No. 4

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
George Perle Wind Quintet No. 4
George Rochberg Symphony No. 5
Pulitzer Prize for Public Service

The Denver Post

(For its in-depth study of missing children, which revealed that most are involved in custody disputes or are runaways, and which helped mitigate national fears stirred by exaggerated statistics.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
The Denver Post
For its in-depth study of "missing children," which revealed that most are involved in custody disputes or are runaways, and which helped mitigate national fears stirred by exaggerated statistics.
Dallas Times Herald
For its coverage of the crash of Delta flight 191 on August 2, 1985, and the resultant series, "How Safe are the Skies?," which examined air traffic safety in the United States and found it wanting.
The News Herald
For its investigation into allegations of systematic and widespread torture of prison inmates by jailers in the Jackson County Jail in Marianna, Florida, which resulted in the indictment of seven prison guards.
Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting

Michael M. York, Jeffrey Marx

(For their series Playing Above the Rules, which exposed cash payoffs to University of Kentucky basketball players in violation of NCAA regulations and led to significant reforms.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jeffrey Marx
For their series \"Playing Above the Rules,\" which exposed cash payoffs to University of Kentucky basketball players in violation of NCAA regulations and led to significant reforms.
Michael M. York
For their series \"Playing Above the Rules,\" which exposed cash payoffs to University of Kentucky basketball players in violation of NCAA regulations and led to significant reforms.
Jim Henderson
For their persistent and thorough investigation of self-proclaimed mass murderer Henry Lee Lucas, which exposed him as the perpetrator of a massive hoax
Hugh Aynesworth
For their persistent and thorough investigation of self-proclaimed mass murderer Henry Lee Lucas, which exposed him as the perpetrator of a massive hoax
Joel Kaplan
For their investigation of Congressman Bill Boner's financial dealings, which revealed flagrant abuses and caused the U.S. Justice Department to re-open an investigation of the matter.
James Pratt
For their investigation of Congressman Bill Boner's financial dealings, which revealed flagrant abuses and caused the U.S. Justice Department to re-open an investigation of the matter.
Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting

Craig Flournoy, George Rodrigue

(For their investigation into subsidized housing in East Texas, which uncovered patterns of racial discrimination and segregation in public housing across the United States and led to significant reforms.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Craig Flournoy
For their investigation into subsidized housing in East Texas, which uncovered patterns of racial discrimination and segregation in public housing across the United States and led to significant reforms.
George Rodrigue
For their investigation into subsidized housing in East Texas, which uncovered patterns of racial discrimination and segregation in public housing across the United States and led to significant reforms.
Arthur Howe
For his enterprising and indefatigable reporting on massive deficiencies in IRS processing of tax returns-reporting that eventually inspired major changes in IRS procedures and prompted the agency to make a public apology to U.S. taxpayers.
Jim Henderson
For their persistent and thorough investigation of self-proclaimed mass murderer Henry Lee Lucas, which exposed him as the perpetrator of a massive hoax.
Hugh Aynesworth
For their persistent and thorough investigation of self-proclaimed mass murderer Henry Lee Lucas, which exposed him as the perpetrator of a massive hoax.
Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting

Arthur Howe

(For his enterprising and indefatigable reporting on massive deficiencies in Internal Revenue Service (IRS) processing of tax returns-reporting that eventually inspired major changes in IRS procedures and prompted the agency to make a public apology to U.S. taxpayers.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Craig Flournoy
For their investigation into subsidized housing in East Texas, which uncovered patterns of racial discrimination and segregation in public housing across the United States and led to significant reforms.
George Rodrigue
For their investigation into subsidized housing in East Texas, which uncovered patterns of racial discrimination and segregation in public housing across the United States and led to significant reforms.
Arthur Howe
For his enterprising and indefatigable reporting on massive deficiencies in IRS processing of tax returns-reporting that eventually inspired major changes in IRS procedures and prompted the agency to make a public apology to U.S. taxpayers.
Jim Henderson
For their persistent and thorough investigation of self-proclaimed mass murderer Henry Lee Lucas, which exposed him as the perpetrator of a massive hoax.
Hugh Aynesworth
For their persistent and thorough investigation of self-proclaimed mass murderer Henry Lee Lucas, which exposed him as the perpetrator of a massive hoax.
Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting

Edna Buchanan

Honored for : The Miami Herald
([General News Reporting] For her versatile and consistently excellent police beat reporting.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Edna Buchanan
[General News Reporting] For her versatile and consistently excellent police beat reporting.
The Dallas Morning News
[General News Reporting] For its comprehensive and compelling coverage, under deadline pressure, of the crash of Delta flight 191 on August 2, 1985.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
[General News Reporting] For its coverage, under deadline pressure, of the MOVE siege and its tragic aftermath.
Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting

Katherine Ellison, Pete Carey, Lewis M. Simons

(For their June 1985 series that documented massive transfers of wealth abroad by President Marcos and his associates and had a direct impact on subsequent political developments in the Philippines and the United States.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lewis M. Simons
For their June 1985 series that documented massive transfers of wealth abroad by President Marcos and his associates and had a direct impact on subsequent political developments in the Philippines and the United States.
Pete Carey
For their June 1985 series that documented massive transfers of wealth abroad by President Marcos and his associates and had a direct impact on subsequent political developments in the Philippines and the United States.
Katherine Ellison
For their June 1985 series that documented massive transfers of wealth abroad by President Marcos and his associates and had a direct impact on subsequent political developments in the Philippines and the United States.
Jacqui Banaszynski
For her personalized account of African famine victims in Sudan, \"The Trail of Tears.\"
Robert J. Rosenthal
For his sustained and comprehensive reportage from South Africa.
Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing

John Sandford

(For his five-part series examining the life of an American farm family faced with the worst U.S. agricultural crisis since the Depression.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Sandford
For his five-part series examining the life of an American farm family faced with the worst U.S. agricultural crisis since the Depression.
David Lee Preston
For his account of how, by means of a trip through Germany and Eastern Europe, he managed to come to terms with his father's experiences in the Holocaust.
Irene Virag
For her elegantly written and sensitive stories about the aspirations and accomplishments of ordinary people.
Pulitzer Prize for Commentary

Jimmy Breslin

(For columns which consistently champion ordinary citizens.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jimmy Breslin
For columns which consistently champion ordinary citizens
Joseph Kraft
For incisive and thoughtful commentary on a wide range of public issues throughout a long and distinguished career.
Charles Krauthammer
For his gracefully written and clear commentary on a variety of issues.
Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting

Andrew Schneider, Mary Pat Flaherty

([Specialized Reporting] For their investigation of violations and failures in the organ transplantation system in the United States.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Andrew Schneider
[Specialized Reporting] For their investigation of violations and failures in the organ transplantation system in the United States.
Mary Pat Flaherty
[Specialized Reporting] For their investigation of violations and failures in the organ transplantation system in the United States.
Bruce Buursma
[Specialized Reporting] For his informed and clear reporting on religion, which included articles on Billy Graham, Pope John Paul II, born-again believers and the Catholic Church in Africa.
William K. Robertson
[Specialized Reporting] For his literary-journalistic account of rediscovering Mark Twain's Mississippi River in honor of the 100th anniversary of \"Huckleberry Finn.\"
Pulitzer Prize for Criticism

Donal Henahan

(For his music criticism.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Donal Henahan
For his music criticism.
Richard D. Christiansen
For his theater criticism.
Richard Eder
For his book reviews.
Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing

Jack Fuller

(For his editorials on constitutional issues.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jack Fuller
For his editorials on constitutional issues.
Paul Greenberg
For his editorial portraits.
Larry Hayes
For their editorial campaign in favor of busing to achieve racially balanced schools.
Barbara O. Morrow
For their editorial campaign in favor of busing to achieve racially balanced schools.
David Berry
For their editorial campaign in favor of busing to achieve racially balanced schools.
Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jack Higgins
Mike Luckovich
Mike Peters
Jules Feiffer
Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography

Tom Gralish

(For his series of photographs of Philadelphia's homeless.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tom Gralish
For his series of photographs of Philadelphia's homeless.
David Leeson
For his photographs of civil strife in South Africa.
Michael S. Wirtz
For his photographs depicting the decline and despair of the American farmer.
Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography

Elizabeth Frank

Honored for : Louise Bogan: A Portrait

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Hope Franklin George Washington Williams: A Biography
Frida Scheps Weinstein A Hidden Childhood: A Jewish Girl's Sanctuary in a French Convent, 1942-1945
Elizabeth Frank Louise Bogan: A Portrait
Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

Henry S. Taylor

Honored for : The Flying Change

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Andrew Hudgins Saints and Strangers
Charles Simic Selected Poems, 1963-1983
Henry S. Taylor The Flying Change
Pulitzer Prize for History

Walter A. McDougall

Honored for : ...the Heavens and the Earth: A Political History of the Space Age

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jacqueline Jones Labor of Love, Labor of Sorrow
Forrest McDonald Novus Ordo Seclorum: the Intellectual Origins of the Constitution
Kerby A. Miller Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America
Walter A. McDougall ...the Heavens and the Earth: A Political History of the Space Age
Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction

J. Anthony Lukas

Honored for : Common Ground

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
J. Anthony Lukas Common Ground
Joseph Lelyveld Move Your Shadow: South Africa, Black and White
Robert N. Bellah Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life
Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction

Joseph Lelyveld

Honored for : Move Your Shadow: South Africa, Black and White

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
J. Anthony Lukas Common Ground
Joseph Lelyveld Move Your Shadow: South Africa, Black and White
Robert N. Bellah Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life
Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography

Carol Guzy, Michel duCille

(For their photographs of the devastation caused by the eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Carol Guzy
For their photographs of the devastation caused by the eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia.
Michel duCille
For their photographs of the devastation caused by the eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia.
David Walters
For his photos of Mexico City after the earthquake.
The Dallas Morning News
For its coverage of the Mexico City earthquake.
Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism

The New York Times

(For a six-part comprehensive series on the Strategic Defense Initiative, which explored the scientific, political and foreign policy issues involved in 'Star Wars.')

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert L. Hotz
For their series that examined new developments in genetic engineering and the legal, moral and social ramifications of biotechnology.
Robert Cooke
For their series that examined new developments in genetic engineering and the legal, moral and social ramifications of biotechnology.
Larry Batson
For his seven-part series on the water crisis in America and his analysis of proposed remedies.
The New York Times
For a six-part comprehensive series on the Strategic Defense Initiative, which explored the scientific, political and foreign policy issues involved in \"Star Wars.\"