The Pulitzer Prize Archive. Volume 8 Biography / Autobiography Awards 1917-1992: From the lucky Discoverer of America to an unfortunate Vietnam Veteran

The School of Journalism at Columbia University has awarded the Pulitzer Prize since 1917. Nowadays there are prizes in 21 categories from the fields of journalism, literature and music. The Pulitzer Prize Archive presents the history of this award from its beginnings to the present: In parts A to E the awarding of the prize in each category is documented, commented and arranged chronologically. Part F covers the history of the prize biographically and bibliographically. Part G provides the background to the decisions. PREFACE INTRODUCTION HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY SELECTIONS FROM AWARD-WINNING ENTRIES REMARKS ABOUT THE SELECTIONS CRITERIA 1917 AWARD: ABOUT THE POET JULIA WARD HOWE HER BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC 1918 AWARD: ABOUT THE AUTHOR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HIS MORAL STANDING AND FINANCIAL STATUS 1919 AWARD: ABOUT THE HISTORIAN HENRY ADAMS HIS STUDIES AND EXPERIENCES IN BERLIN 1920 AWARD: ABOUT THE JUSTICE JOHN MARSHALL HIS INTENTIONS AS A BIOGRAPHER 1921 AWARD: ABOUT THE AUTHOR EDWARD BOK HIS WORK FOR THE LADIES’ HOME JOURNAL 1922 AWARD: ABOUT THE SETTLER ISABEL McCLINTOCK HER FAILING HEALTH AND LONELINESS 1923 AWARD: ABOUT THE DIPLOMAT WALTER H. PAGE HIS RESIGNATION FROM AMBASSADOR POST 1924 AWARD: ABOUT THE PHYSICIST MICHAEL PUPIN HIS NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL PORTRAIT 1925 AWARD: ABOUT THE EDUCATOR BARRETT WENDELL HIS VISITING PROFESSORSHIP IN PARIS 1926 AWARD: ABOUT THE PHYSICIAN WILLIAM OSLER HIS PRINCIPLES OF MEDICINE BOOK 1927 AWARD: ABOUT THE POET WALT WHITMAN HIS EARLY YEARS AS A JOURNALIST 1928 AWARD: ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR THEODORE THOMAS HIS MOVE FROM NEW YORK TO CHICAGO 1929 AWARD: ABOUT THE EDITOR WALTER H. PAGE HIS ACTIVITIES AT THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY 1930 AWARD: ABOUT THE STATESMAN SAM HOUSTON HIS PLANS FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS 1931 AWARD: ABOUT THE EDUCATOR CHARLES W. ELIOT HIS ESTABLISHMENT OF GRADUATE DEGREES 1932 AWARD: ABOUT THE PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT HIS INAUGURATION SPEECH CIRCUMSTANCES 1933 AWARD: ABOUT THE PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND HIS FORMATION OF THE FIRST CABINET 1934 AWARD: ABOUT THE DIPLOMAT JOHN HAY HIS POLICY UNDER THEODORE ROOSEVELT 1935 AWARD: ABOUT THE GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE HIS APPOINTMENT AS HEAD OF WEST POINT 1936 AWARD: ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGIST WILLIAM JAMES HIS EARLY STUDY AND BOOK PUBLICATION 1937 AWARD: ABOUT THE SECRETARY HAMILTON FISH HIS RETIREMENT FROM BIG POLITICS 1938a AWARD: ABOUT THE PHILOSOPHER BRONSON ALCOTT HIS FAME AS A THINKER AND EDUCATOR 1938b AWARD: ABOUT THE GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON HIS PLANS AFTER THE FLORIDA RAID 1939 AWARD: ABOUT THE STATESMAN BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HIS BEGINNING AS POSTMASTER GENERAL 1940 AWARD: ABOUT THE PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON HIS VARIOUS ACTIVITIES DURING WORLD WAR I 1941 AWARD: ABOUT THE THEOLOGIAN JONATHAN EDWARDS HIS DISMISSAL FROM NORTHAMPTON PULPIT 1942 AWARD: ABOUT THE AUTHOR HARRIET BEECHER STOWE HER SUCCESSFUL BOOK UNCLE TOM’S CABIN 1943 AWARD: ABOUT THE ADMIRAL CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS HIS LANDING IN THE NEW WORLD 1944 AWARD: ABOUT THE INVENTOR SAMUEL MORSE HIS MEETING IN PARIS WITH DAGUERRE 1945 AWARD: ABOUT THE HISTORIAN GEORGE BANCROFT HIS LAST VOLUME OF THE U.S. HISTORY 1946 AWARD: ABOUT THE NATURALIST JOHN MUIR HIS ACTIVITIES IN YOSEMITE PARK 1947 AWARD: ABOUT THE EDITOR WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE HIS PURCHASE OF THE EMPORIA GAZETTE 1948 AWARD: ABOUT THE POLITICIAN JOHN BIGELOW HIS IDEA OF A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 1949 AWARD: ABOUT THE SECRETARY HARRY L. HOPKINS HIS TRAVEL TO THE CASABLANCA CONFERENCE 1950 AWARD: ABOUT THE STATESMAN JOHN QUINCY ADAMS HIS INFLUENCE ON THE MONROE DOCTRINE 1951 AWARD: ABOUT THE STATESMAN JOHN C. CALHOUN HIS PRIVATE DOMICILE AT FORT HILL 1952 AWARD: ABOUT THE JURIST CHARLES EVANS HUGHES HIS NOMINATION AS U.S. CHIEF JUSTICE 1953 AWARD: ABOUT THE STATESMAN EDMUND PENDLETON HIS START AS JUSTICE OF CAROLINE COUNTY 1954 AWARD: ABOUT THE AVIATOR CHARLES LINDBERGH HIS ARRIVAL AND RECEPTION AT PARIS 1955 AWARD: ABOUT THE SENATOR ROBERT A. TAFT HIS NEW TRY FOR PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION 1956 AWARD: ABOUT THE ARCHITECT B. HENRY LATROBE HIS WORK FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT 1957 AWARD: ABOUT THE STATESMAN DANIEL WEBSTER HIS OUTSTANDING ROLE AS AN ORATOR 1958 AWARD: ABOUT THE PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON HIS RETIREMENT FROM FEDERAL OFFICE 1959 AWARD: ABOUT THE PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON HIS FAMOUS FOURTEEN POINT SPEECH 1960 AWARD: ABOUT THE ADMIRAL JOHN PAUL JONES HIS LAUNCHING OF THE SHIP AMERICA 1961 AWARD: ABOUT THE STATESMAN CHARLES SUMNER HIS ROLE AS AN OUTRAGEOUS PHILANTHROPIST 1962 AWARD: ABOUT THE WITHHOLD OF THE BIOGRAPHY PRIZE NAMES OF THE BOARD MEMBERS VOTING FOR GIVING THE AWARD 1963 AWARD: ABOUT THE NOVELIST HENRY JAMES HIS FINANCIAL SITUATION IN PARIS 1964 AWARD: ABOUT THE POET JOHN KEATS HIS WRITING LEVEL IN HYPERION 1965 AWARD: ABOUT THE HISTORIAN HENRY ADAMS HIS TRAVEL TO PRE-WORLD WAR I EUROPE 1966 AWARD: ABOUT THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY HIS FAMOUS SPEECH IN WEST BERLIN 1967 AWARD: ABOUT THE AUTHOR MARK TWAIN HIS WORKING ON THE TOM SAWYER BOOK 1968 AWARD: ABOUT THE DIPLOMAT GEORGE F. KENNAN HIS GERMAN MISSION IN WORLD WAR II 1969 AWARD: ABOUT THE PHILANTHROPIST JOHN QUINN HIS AIDS FOR SEVERAL FAMOUS POETS 1970 AWARD: ABOUT THE GOVERNOR HUEY P. LONG HIS HONORARY DEGREE FROM LOYOLA 1971 AWARD: ABOUT THE POET ROBERT FROST HIS TEACHING POSITION AT AMHERST 1972 AWARD: ABOUT THE FIRST LADY ELEANOR ROOSEVELT HER RADIO SPEECHES ON VARIOUS TOPICS 1973 AWARD: ABOUT THE PRESSMAN HENRY LUCE HIS SUCCESSFUL WORK AT LIFE MAGAZINE 1974 AWARD: ABOUT THE DRAMATIST EUGENE O’NEILL HIS RETURN TO THE BROADWAY STAGES 1975 AWARD: ABOUT THE MASTERBUILDER ROBERT MOSES HIS GIGANTIC TRIBOROUGH BRIDGE PROJECT 1976 AWARD: ABOUT THE NOVELIST EDITH WHARTON HER SUCCESSFUL PUBLICATIONS AND INCOME 1977 AWARD: ABOUT THE ADVENTURER THOMAS E. LAWRENCE HIS TIME AS ADVISOR TO CHURCHILL 1978 AWARD: ABOUT THE AUTHOR SAMUEL JOHNSON HIS WORK FOR GENTLEMAN’S MAGAZINE 1979 AWARD: ABOUT THE RABBI LEO BAECK HIS SURVIVAL FROM THE HOLOCOUST 1980 AWARD: ABOUT THE COLONEL THEODORE ROOSEVELT HIS CUBAN BATTLE OF SAN JUAN 1981 AWARD: ABOUT THE CZAR PETER THE GREAT HIS WORKING AND LIVING PRINCIPLES 1982 AWARD: ABOUT THE PRESIDENT ULYSSES S. GRANT HIS ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION IN LONDON 1983 AWARD: ABOUT THE AUTHOR RUSSELL BAKER HIS CHILDHOOD DURING WAR TIMES 1984 AWARD: ABOUT THE EDUCATOR BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIS BASIC IDEAS OF HIGHER EDUCATION 1985 AWARD: ABOUT THE THEOLOGIAN COTTON MATHER HIS PREPARATION FOR PREACHER’S CAREER 1986 AWARD: ABOUT THE POET LOUISE BOGAN HER LESS HAPPY FINAL YEARS 1987 AWARD: ABOUT THE REVEREND MARTIN LUTHER KING HIS WINNING OF THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 1988 AWARD: ABOUT THE NOVELIST THOMAS WOLFE HIS BOOK OF TIME AND THE RIVER 1989 AWARD: ABOUT THE DRAMATIST OSCAR WILDE HIS IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST PLAY 1990 AWARD: ABOUT THE STATESMAN NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI HIS WRITING PRACTICES AND HABITS 1991 AWARD: ABOUT THE PAINTER JACKSON POLLOCK HIS BREAKTHROUGH BY PRESS PROMOTION 1992 AWARD: ABOUT THE ATTORNEY LEWIS PULLER HIS SUFFERING FROM VIETNAM EXPERIENCES WINNERS OF THE BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY AWARD, 1993–2003 INDEX

The School of Journalism at Columbia University has awarded the Pulitzer Prize since 1917. Nowadays there are prizes in 21 categories from the fields of journalism, literature and music. The Pulitzer Prize Archive presentsthe history of this award from its beginnings to the present: In parts A toE the awarding oftheprize in each category is documented, commented and arranged chronologically. Part F covers the history of the prize biographically and bibliographically. Part G provides the background to thedecisions.