Logan Nonfiction Alumni Win Pulitzer Prizes
Two Logan Nonfiction alumni won Pulitzer Prizes last week: the International Reporting prize within the journalism category and General Nonfiction prize within books, drama & music. A third Logan Nonfiction alum was nominated for the prize in Explanatory Reporting.
Andrea Elliott, Logan class of 2019, was awarded the General Nonfiction Pulitzer for her book “Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City.” The book examines poverty, homelessness and the legacy of slavery in the institutions of America, told through the deeply reported narrative account of one young woman. Published by Random House in October 2021, the book has been the recipient of multiple major awards and accolades, including the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism, The New York Times’s “10 Best Books of 2021” and President Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2021. Andrea spent her Logan Nonfiction fellowship at work on “Invisible Child.”
Azmat Khan, Logan class of 2017, was honored with a Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting, as part of a team of New York Times journalists whose work exposed the extensive civilian toll of U.S.-led airstrikes in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Her recognized pieces include the articles “Hidden Pentagon Records Reveal Patterns of Failure in Deadly Airstrikes,” “The Human Toll of America’s Air Wars,” “The Civilian Casualty Files” and “Documents Reveal Basic Flaws in Pentagon Dismissals of Civilian Casualty Claims.” Azmat’s reporting has long served as a guidepost in the investigations into the true civilian death toll in Iraq. Her article “The Uncounted,” published in 2017 and partially produced during her Logan fellowship, was previously honored with the Hillman Prize.
Lee Hawkins, Logan class of 2018, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting within the journalism section of the awards. As part of a staff team at The Wall Street Journal, Lee worked on a series of stories that reconstructed the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and its continued impact on Oklahoma and the nation at large. A century after white mobs attacked Black residents of the affluent Greenwood District, the effects continue to ripple to the present day, as illustrated in Lee’s story, “The Dreams of Jack and Daisy Scott.” During his Logan fellowship, Lee was at work on his book “Nobody’s Slave: How Uncovering My Family’s History Set Me Free,” which is forthcoming from HarperCollins next year.
The Pulitzer Prize recognizes excellence in journalism and the arts with annual awards in 22 categories. A full list of 2022 winners can be found here.