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We visited the official web site of The Pulitzer Prizes to learn how winners and nominated finalists are selected. In a section called Guidelines & Forms, we found a collection of PDF documents (which can be read using Adobe Acrobat Reader) about all aspects of submission and selection. Pulitzer Prizes are awarded annually in 21 categories, including 14 journalism categories, as well as letters (books), music, and drama. The Plan of Award document describes the entire process. Newspaper magnate Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911) left an endowment to establish the Columbia School of Journalism, which opened in 1912, and the Pulitzer Prizes, which were first awarded in 1917. The awards are announced in the spring, based on the recommendations of the Pulitzer Prize Board. Members of the Board include noted editors, columnists, publishers, authors, and scholars. The Board appoints "nominating jurors" in each category. These jurors are asked to submit three recommendations accompanied by a statement explaining the merits of each work. Since 1980, the nominated finalists in the various prize categories have been announced to the public. In the journalism
categories, entries may be submitted by any individual. The work must have first appeared in a daily, weekly, or Sunday newspaper in the United States, but it need not be created by a U.S. national. Newspaper publishers and editors may submit up to three pieces of work from their own newspaper, wire service, or syndicate published during the preceding calendar year. The 2002 prizes were announced on April 8, 2002. Winners will receive their awards ($7,500 in cash except for the newspaper that is awarded a gold medal for the Public Service prize) on May 30 at a luncheon ceremony held at Columbia University's Low Library in New York City. We found the most recent Pulitzer news by typing "pulitzer" into the search box on Columbia's home page. Visit
the official FAQ to learn more, or browse through the archive of winning entries. At the Newseum, you can experience more than half a century of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs in the Capture the Moment exhibit.
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