Awards & Winners

1989 Pulitzer Prize

Check winners and nominations of 1989 Pulitzer Prize. Check awards winners of 1989 Pulitzer Prize. (Click on the Award name to show winners and nominees)

1989 Pulitzer Prize

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Anne Tyler

Honored for : Breathing Lessons

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Raymond Carver Where I'm calling from: new and selected stories
Anne Tyler Breathing Lessons
Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Wendy Wasserstein

Honored for : The Heidi Chronicles

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Wendy Wasserstein The Heidi Chronicles
David Henry Hwang M. Butterfly
August Wilson The Piano Lesson
Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography

Manny Crisostomo

(For his series of photographs depicting student life at Southwestern High School in Detroit.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Manny Crisostomo
For his series of photographs. depicting student life at Southwestern High School in Detroit.
Donna Bagby
For her photograph of grieving Dallas police officers at the funeral of a slain patrolman.
Frederic Larson
For his photographs of atomic bomb survivors in Japan.
Pulitzer Prize for Public Service

Anchorage Daily News

(For reporting about the high incidence of alcoholism and suicide among Alaska Natives in a series that focused attention on their despair and resulted in various reforms.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Anchorage Daily News
For reporting about the high incidence of alcoholism and suicide among native Alaskans in a series that focused attention on their despair and resulted in various reforms.
The Times
For its campaign urging reform of the state's public education system, which helped prompt legislation initiating change.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For an investigation by Bill Dedman of the racial discrimination practiced by lending institutions in Atlanta, reporting which led to significant reforms in those policies.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
For a 15-month investigation by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele of "rifle shot" provisions in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, a series which aroused such widespread public indignation that Congress subsequently rejected proposals giving special tax breaks to many politically connected individuals and businesses.
Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting

Bill Dedman

(For his investigation of the racial discrimination practiced by lending institutions in Atlanta, reporting which led to significant reforms in those policies.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bill Dedman
For his investigation of the racial discrimination practiced by lending institutions in Atlanta, reporting which led to significant reforms in those policies.
Mary Bishop
For her investigation of dangerous practices and fraud in Virginia's pest control industry.
Elsa Walsh
For a series about how court secrecy procedures have created a system of private justice within the public courts.
Benjamin Weiser
For a series about how court secrecy procedures have created a system of private justice within the public courts.
Penny Loeb
For her reports on a public housing program that allowed prosperous tenants to live in city projects intended for citizens with limited income.
Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism

David Hanners, William Snyder, Karen Blessen

(For their special report on a 1985 airplane crash, the follow-up investigation, and the implications for air safety.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Hanners
For their special report on a 1985 airplane crash, the follow-up investigation, and the implications for air safety.
William Snyder
For their special report on a 1985 airplane crash, the follow-up investigation, and the implications for air safety.
Karen Blessen
For their special report on a 1985 airplane crash, the follow-up investigation, and the implications for air safety.
David Shaw
For his candid and thorough reporting on media practices and practitioners.
Bernard Wysocki Jr.
For stories about America's struggle to maintain its technological superiority over international competitors, especially Japan.
Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting

Donald Barlett, James Steele

(For their 15-month investigation of "rifle shot" provisions in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, a series that aroused such widespread public indignation that Congress subsequently rejected proposals giving special tax breaks to many politically connected individuals and businesses.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Donald Barlett
For their 15-month investigation of \"rifle shot\" provisions in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, a series that aroused such widespread public indignation that Congress subsequently rejected proposals giving special tax breaks to many politically connected individuals and businesses.
James Steele
For their 15-month investigation of \"rifle shot\" provisions in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, a series that aroused such widespread public indignation that Congress subsequently rejected proposals giving special tax breaks to many politically connected individuals and businesses.
Scot Lehigh
For his insightful coverage of the presidential campaign of Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis.
Matthew Purdy
For his reporting on abuses in America's kidney dialysis program.
Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting

Bill Keller

(For resourceful and detailed coverage of events in the U.S.S.R.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bill Keller
For resourceful and detailed coverage of events in the U.S.S.R.
Glenn Frankel
For sensitive and balanced reporting from Israel and the Middle East.
David Zucchino
For his richly compelling series, \"Being Black in South Africa.\" (Moved by the Board to the Feature Writing category.)
Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting

Glenn Frankel

(For sensitive and balanced reporting from Israel and the Middle East.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bill Keller
For resourceful and detailed coverage of events in the U.S.S.R.
Glenn Frankel
For sensitive and balanced reporting from Israel and the Middle East.
David Zucchino
For his richly compelling series, \"Being Black in South Africa.\" (Moved by the Board to the Feature Writing category.)
Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing

David Zucchino

(For his richly compelling series, 'Being Black in South Africa.')

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Zucchino
For his richly compelling series, 'Being Black in South Africa.'
Tad Bartimus
For her story about the accidental drowning of three brothers and the effect it had on their small Missouri town.
Bob Ehlert
For his stories about a local priest accused of sexual abuse.
Loretta Tofani
For stories about a heroin addict's pregnancy and the birth of her addicted infant.
Pulitzer Prize for Commentary

Clarence Page

(For his provocative columns on local and national affairs.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Clarence Page
For his provocative columns on local and national affairs.
Richard Cohen
For his clear and controlled commentary on social and political topics.
Michael Kinsley
For informed commentary on a variety of national issues.
Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting

Edward Humes

([Specialized Reporting] For his in-depth reporting on the military establishment in Southern California.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Edward Humes
[Specialized Reporting] For his in-depth reporting on the military establishment in Southern California.
Dennis Anderson
[Specialized Reporting] For his stories detailing the problems and abuses that endanger America's waterfowl.
Mike Masterson
[Specialized Reporting] For their stories about risks to elderly Americans from prescription errors, drug interactions and medication abuse.
Chuck Cook
[Specialized Reporting] For their stories about risks to elderly Americans from prescription errors, drug interactions and medication abuse.
Pulitzer Prize for Criticism

Michael Skube

(For his writing about books and other literary topics.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Michael Skube
For his writing about books and other literary topics.
Joyce Millman
For her criticism of television and other subjects.
David Richards
For his theater criticism.
Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing

Lois Wille

(For her editorials on a variety of local issues.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lois Wille
For her editorials on a variety of local issues.
Bill Bishop
For an editorial campaign against broad-form deeds in the state which helped convince voters to approve limits on their use.
The New York Times
For a series of editorials about the coming generation of children threatened by poverty and about the urgent need for political intervention and reform
Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jack Higgins
Steve Benson
Joel Pett
Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography

Richard Ellmann

Honored for : Oscar Wilde: Biographie

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Peter Gay Freud: A Life For Our Time
Richard Ellmann Oscar Wilde: Biographie
Neil Sheehan A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam
Arnold Rampersad The Life of Langston Hughes: Volume II, 1941-1967: I Dream a World
Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

Richard Wilbur

Honored for : New and Collected Poems

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Richard Wilbur New and Collected Poems
Donald Hall One Day
Garrett Hongo The River of Heaven
Pulitzer Prize for History

James M. McPherson

Honored for : Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Eric Foner Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877
Neil Sheehan A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam
James M. McPherson Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era
Taylor Branch Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-1963
Pulitzer Prize for History

Taylor Branch

Honored for : Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-1963

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Eric Foner Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877
Neil Sheehan A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam
James M. McPherson Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era
Taylor Branch Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-1963
Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction

Neil Sheehan

Honored for : A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Howard Kohn The Last Farmer
McGeorge Bundy Danger and Survival
Neil Sheehan A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam
Timothy Ferris Coming of age in the Milky Way
Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography

Ron Olshwanger

(For a picture published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of a firefighter giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a child pulled from a burning building.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ron Olshwanger
For a picture published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of a firefighter giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a child pulled from a burning building.
George Riedel
For his series of photographs from an airshow disaster in Ramstein, West Germany, where three Italian stunt planes collided in mid-air.
Ben Van Hook
For his photograph of a boy clutching his father at a memorial service for 27 victims of a bus accident in northern Kentucky.
Pulitzer Prize for Music

Roger Reynolds

Honored for : Whispers Out of Time

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Roger Reynolds Whispers Out of Time
Bright Sheng H'un (Lacerations): In Memoriam 1966-1976
Steven Stucky Concerto for Orchestra