The organization was originally scheduled to announce the recipients of this year’s prizes in journalism, books, drama and music on April 20. However, the Pulitzer Prize Board opted to reschedule the event in light of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.
The board will further postpone the annual Pulitzer Prize luncheon because of the coronavirus. The ceremony is typically held in May at Columbia University in New York City, which has become a hotbed for COVID-19 cases and virus-related deaths over the last two months.
The Pulitzer Prize ceremony is now expected to be held sometime in the fall, although the board has not revealed a specific date for the celebratory event at this time.
Back when the board first announced plans to postpone the yearly event in April, Pulitzer Prize Administrator Dana Canedy said the decision came as a means to give board members—many of whom are journalists—time to evaluate the work of some potential recipients that may be on the frontlines covering the pandemic.
“The Pulitzer board includes many high-level journalists who are on the frontlines of informing the public on the quickly evolving Coronavirus pandemic. As they focus on this critical mission, this postponement will provide additional time to thoroughly evaluate the 2020 Pulitzer finalists,” Canedy said in a statement.
Canedy added: “More than ever, this moment highlights journalism’s mission to provide a vital public service. It also demonstrates literature and the arts’ ability to transport and uplift the human spirit during trying times. The Pulitzer Prizes will continue its more than century-long mandate to celebrate such excellence.”
In 2019, 14 journalism and seven letters, drama and music categories awards were handed out. Each year 13 journalism recipients and the seven arts winners receive a $15,000 cash prize, while the 14th journalist—the Public Service award winner—receives the coveted Pulitzer gold medal in lieu of a monetary prize.
Staff members of the South Florida Sun Sentinel were awarded the Public Service Pulitzer in 2019 while cash prizes were given to fellow journalists including Matt Hamilton, Harriet Ryan and Paul Pringle of the Los Angeles Times; Maggie Michael, Maad al-Zikry and Nariman El-Mofty of Associated Press; Carlos Lozada of The Washing Post; the Photography Staff at Reuters and many others. In the art categories, writers and musicians including Ellen Reid, Forrest Gander and Jackie Sibbles Drury won awards among others.
This story has been updated to accurately include the date of the Pulitzer Prize winner’s announcement.
