Awards & Winners

1990 Pulitzer Prize

Check winners and nominations of 1990 Pulitzer Prize. Check awards winners of 1990 Pulitzer Prize. (Click on the Award name to show winners and nominees)

1990 Pulitzer Prize

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Oscar Hijuelos

Honored for : The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Oscar Hijuelos The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love
E. L. Doctorow Billy Bathgate
Pulitzer Prize for History

Stanley Karnow

Honored for : In Our Image: America's Empire in the Philippines

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Hugh Honour The Image of the Black in Western Art
Thomas P. Hughes American Genesis: A Century of Invention and Technological Enthusiasm 1870-1970
Stanley Karnow In Our Image: America's Empire in the Philippines
Pulitzer Prize for Drama

August Wilson

Honored for : The Piano Lesson

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
August Wilson The Piano Lesson
María Irene Fornés What of the Night?
A. R. Gurney Love Letters
Pulitzer Prize for Public Service

Gilbert M. Gaul

Honored for : Washington Daily News
(For revealing that the city's water supply was contaminated with carcinogens, a problem that the local government had neither disclosed nor corrected over a period of eight years.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Washington Daily News
For revealing that the city's water supply was contaminated with carcinogens, a problem that the local government had neither disclosed nor corrected over a period of eight years.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
For reporting by Gilbert M. Gaul that disclosed how the American blood industry operates with little government regulation or supervision.
The Tennessean
For an extended investigation by Phil Williams and Jim O'Hara of corruption in the state's charity bingo industry, which prompted the indictment of dozens of individuals and legislative restrictions on bingo operations.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For stories by Jane O. Hansen that exposed abuses and incompetence in Georgia's child welfare system and inspired state reforms.
Pulitzer Prize for Public Service

The Philadelphia Inquirer

(For reporting by Gilbert M. Gaul that disclosed how the American blood industry operates with little government regulation or supervision.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Washington Daily News
For revealing that the city's water supply was contaminated with carcinogens, a problem that the local government had neither disclosed nor corrected over a period of eight years.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
For reporting by Gilbert M. Gaul that disclosed how the American blood industry operates with little government regulation or supervision.
The Tennessean
For an extended investigation by Phil Williams and Jim O'Hara of corruption in the state's charity bingo industry, which prompted the indictment of dozens of individuals and legislative restrictions on bingo operations.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For stories by Jane O. Hansen that exposed abuses and incompetence in Georgia's child welfare system and inspired state reforms.
Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting

Chris Ison, Lou Kilzer

(For reporting that exposed a network of local citizens who had links to members of the St. Paul fire department and who profited from fires, including some described by the fire department itself as being of suspicious origin.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lou Kilzer
For reporting that exposed a network of local citizens who had links to members of the St. Paul fire department and who profited from fires, including some described by the fire department itself as being of suspicious origin.
Chris Ison
For reporting that exposed a network of local citizens who had links to members of the St. Paul fire department and who profited from fires, including some described by the fire department itself as being of suspicious origin.
Olive Talley
For an investigation disclosing the inadequate health care system in America's federal prisons, reporting that prompted a Congressional inquiry.
Lexington Herald-Leader
For \"Cheating Our Children.\" a series that examined local political abuses and their damaging effect on Kentucky's public schools.
Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism

David A. Vise, Steve Coll

(For stories scrutinizing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the way it has been affected by the policies of its former chairman, John Shad.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
David A. Vise
For stories scrutinizing the Securities and Exchange Commission and the way it has been affected by the policies of its former chairman, John Shad.
Steve Coll
For stories scrutinizing the Securities and Exchange Commission and the way it has been affected by the policies of its former chairman, John Shad.
Eric Nalder
For a revealing series about oil-tanker safety and the failure of industry and government to adequately oversee the shipping of oil.
The Dallas Morning News
For a series about five \"hidden wars\" being waged around the world, primarily in Third World countries.
North County Times
For its coverage of a shooting spree by a local mail carrier and the subsequent examination of the problems and stress faced by postal service workers.
Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting

San Jose Mercury News

([General News Reporting] For its detailed coverage of the October 17, 1989, Bay Area earthquake and its aftermath.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
San Jose Mercury News
For its detailed coverage of the October 17, 1989, Bay Area earthquake and its aftermath.
The State
[General News Reporting] For its extensive and compelling coverage of the devastation caused by Hurricane Hugo.
The Roanoke Times
[General News Reporting] For its thorough and balanced coverage of a statewide strike by the United Mine Workers against the Pittston Coal Group.
Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting

Sheryl WuDunn, Nicholas D. Kristof

(For knowledgeable reporting from China on the mass movement For democracy and its subsequent suppression.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Nicholas D. Kristof
For knowledgeable reporting from China on the mass movement for democracy and its subsequent suppression.
Sheryl WuDunn
For knowledgeable reporting from China on the mass movement for democracy and its subsequent suppression.
David Remnick
For coverage of the dramatic changes in the Soviet Union and the communist bloc in the Gorbachev era.
Serge Schmemann
For penetrating reports on the momentous political changes in East Germany, West Germany and Eastern Europe.
Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing

Dave Curtin

(For a gripping account of a family's struggle to recover after its members were severely burned in an explosion that devastated their home.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Dave Curtin
For a gripping account of a family's struggle to recover after its members were severely burned in an explosion that devastated their home.
Jay Reed
For a poignant series about his return to Vietnam.
Mark Kriegel
For \"The People's Court,\" a detailed account of the game of basketball as it is played on New York City playgrounds.
Pulitzer Prize for Commentary

Jim Murray

(For his sports columns.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jim Murray
For his sports columns.
Richard Cohen
For his columns on national issues.
Walter Goodman
For his columns about television.
Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting

Tamar Stieber

([Specialized Reporting] For persistent reporting that linked a rare blood disorder to an over-the-counter dietary supplement, L-Tryptophan, and led to a national recall of the product.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tamar Stieber
[Specialized Reporting] For persistent reporting that linked a rare blood disorder to an over-the-counter dietary supplement, L-Tryptophan, and led to a national recall of the product.
Jim Dwyer
[Specialized Reporting] For his coverage of the New York City subway system.
Claire Spiegel
[Specialized Reporting] For an investigation of mismanagement and abuses at a Los Angeles medical center, stories that led to improvements in patient care and policies at the hospital.
Pulitzer Prize for Criticism

Allan Temko

(For his architecture criticism.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Allan Temko
For his architecture criticism.
Jory Farr
For his pop music criticism.
Wayne Lee Gay
For his critical coverage of the 1989 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing

Thomas J. Hylton

(For his editorials about a local bond issue for the preservation of farmland and other open space in rural Pennsylvania.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Leonard Morris
For his series of editorials on abortion.
David C. Anderson
For his editorials on drugs and the homeless.
Thomas J. Hylton
For his editorials about a local bond issue for the preservation of farmland and other open space in rural Pennsylvania.
Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning

Tom Toles

(For his work during the year as exemplified by the cartoon 'First Amendment.')

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tom Toles
For his work during the year as exemplified by the cartoon \"First Amendment.\"
Chan Lowe
Jim Morin
Garry Trudeau
Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography

David C. Turnley

(For photographs of the political uprisings in China and Eastern Europe.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
David C. Turnley
For photographs of the political uprisings in China and Eastern Europe.
Stormi Greener
For a series of photographs of a mother and her struggle to resist committing child abuse.
John Tlumacki
For photographs of East and West Germans celebrating the collapse of the Berlin Wall.
Robert Hallinen
For their photographs of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its aftermath.
Erik Hill
For their photographs of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its aftermath.
Paul Souders
For their photographs of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its aftermath.
Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography

Sebastian de Grazia

Honored for : Machiavelli in Hell

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sebastian de Grazia Machiavelli in Hell
Reynolds Price Clear Pictures: First Loves, First Guides
Jill Ker Conway The Road from Coorain
Geoffrey Ward A First-Class Temperament: The Emergence of Franklin Roosevelt
Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

Charles Simic

Honored for : The World Doesn't End

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Adrienne Rich Time's Power
Paul Zweig Selected and Last Poems
Charles Simic The World Doesn't End
Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction

Dale Maharidge, Michael Williamson

Honored for : And Their Children After Them

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Dale Maharidge And Their Children After Them
Michael Williamson And Their Children After Them
David Fromkin A Peace to End All Peace
Stephen Jay Gould Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History
Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting

Ross Anderson, Bill Dietrich, Mary Ann Gwinn, Eric Nalder

(For coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its aftermath.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ross Anderson
For coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its aftermath.
Bill Dietrich
For coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its aftermath.
Mary Ann Gwinn
For coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its aftermath.
Eric Nalder
For coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its aftermath.
Charles R. Babcock
For incisive reporting of abuses of power committed by members of Congress.
Gilbert M. Gaul
For reporting that disclosed how the American blood industry operates with little governmental regulation or supervision.
Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography
(For photographs of devastation caused by the Bay Area earthquake of October 17, 1989.)

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Oakland Tribune
For photographs of devastation caused by the Bay Area earthquake of October 17, 1989.
Associated Press
For a photograph of the funeral bier of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini surrounded by a mob of emotional mourners.
Jeff Widener
For a photograph of an unidentified man blocking the path of a procession of tanks in Beijing.
David C. Turnley
For photographs of the political uprisings in China and Eastern Europe.
Pulitzer Prize for Music

Mel Powell

Honored for : Duplicates: A Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra

Nominations »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mel Powell Duplicates: A Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra
Ralph Shapey Concerto for Cello, Piano and String Orchestra