Pulitzer Prizes 1917: Complete list of winners

The inaugural Pulitzer Prizes in 1917 marked a watershed moment for American literature and journalism, establishing what would become the nation’s most prestigious literary honors. That first year, the awards celebrated works that captured the American spirit during a transformative moment in the country’s history—just as the nation was entering World War I. The Pulitzer Prize committee, guided by the vision of newspaper magnate Joseph Pulitzer, selected winners that reflected both scholarly rigor and enduring cultural significance, setting a standard that would define the awards for generations to come.

The 1917 Pulitzer Prizes honored two remarkable works of American nonfiction that remain vital historical documents today. Laura E. Richards and Maud Howe Elliott, assisted by Florence Howe Hall, claimed the Biography award for their meticulously researched Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910, a portrait of the celebrated abolitionist, suffragist, and author who penned “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Meanwhile, J.J. Jusserand, the French Ambassador to the United States, won the History category for With Americans of Past and Present Days, a work that offered a foreign diplomat’s thoughtful perspective on American character and achievement. These inaugural winners established the Pulitzer Prize’s commitment to honoring works that illuminate American identity and values through biography and historical analysis.

The following list details these groundbreaking 1917 winners and their enduring contributions to American letters:

Biography

• Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910 by Laura E. Richards and Maud Howe Elliott assisted by Florence Howe Hall

History

• With Americans of Past and Present Days by His Excellency J.J. Jusserand