Columbia Journalism Award
Voted on by the Columbia Journalism School faculty, this award was established in 1958 and is presented each year at commencement.
The Columbia Journalism Award is given in recognition of exceptional journalistic performance and voted by the faculty “for singular journalistic performance in the public interest.” It is presented annually to someone of overarching accomplishment and distinguished service to journalism.
A Legacy of Courage and Integrity
The first recipient of the Columbia Journalism Award in 1958 was John Netherland Heiskell, the 85-year-old president and editor of The Arkansas Gazette in Little Rock, Arkansas. This decision, made by the Faculty of Journalism at Columbia University, recognized Mr. Heiskell's unwavering courage and principled leadership, which played a pivotal role in the Gazette’s bold and consistent stand on critical issues of the time.
The award continues to be given annually to those whose contributions to journalism reflect similar courage, commitment and public service.
Since 1958, over 60 journalists have joined Heiskell as recipients of this distinguished award.
Recipients of the Columbia Journalism Award
- 2025 – Brian Lehrer
- 2004 ‐ David Fanning
- 1983 ‐ Morton Mintz
- 2024 - Amira Hass
- 2003 ‐ Seymour Hersh
- 1982 ‐ Edward Barrett
- 2023 - Christiane Amanpour
- 2002 ‐ Paul Steiger
- 1981 ‐ Walter E. (Red) Smith
- 2022 - Kathy Gannon
- 2001 ‐ Joe Lelyveld
- 1980 ‐ Tom Wolfe
- 2021 - Martin "Marty" Baron
- 2000 ‐ Pete Hamill
- 1979 ‐ Theodore H. White
- 2020 - Julie Brown
- 1999 ‐ Joan Didion
- 1978 ‐ Charles Peters
- 2019 - Maria Ressa
- 1998 ‐ Carl Rowan
- 1977 ‐ Pamela Mendels
- 2018 - Ira Glass
- 1997 ‐ Walter Cronkite
- 1976 ‐ A.H. Raskin
- 2017 - Ta-Nehisi Coates
- 1996 ‐ Gene Roberts
- 1975 ‐ William Shawn
- 2016 ‐ Lyse Doucet
- 1995 ‐ Charles Kuralt
- 1974 ‐ John H. Johnson
- 2015 ‐ Nina Totenberg
- 1994 ‐ David Laventhol
- 1973 ‐ Katharine Graham
- 2014 ‐ Alan Rusbridger
- 1993 ‐ The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour
- 1972 ‐ Neil Sheehan
- 2013 ‐ Errol Morris
- 1992 ‐ Arthur Ochs Sulzberger
- 1971 ‐ I.F. Stone
- 2012 ‐ Katherine Boo
- 1991 ‐ Peter Arnett
- 1967 ‐ Edgar B. Stern, Jr.
- 2011 ‐ Al Jazeera English
- 1990 ‐ Robert C. Maynard
- 1964 ‐ Fred Friendly
- 2010 ‐ Gail Collins
- 1989 ‐ Neil Sheehan
- 1963 ‐ Citation to Theodore Kheel
- 2009 ‐ Alejandro Junco de la Vega
- 1988 ‐ Louis D. Boccardi
- 1962 ‐ Erwin Canham
- 2008 ‐ Terry Gross
- 1987 ‐ The Honorable John E. Moss
- 1961 ‐ Bernard Kilgore
- 2007 ‐ Ben Bradlee
- 1986 ‐ William L. Shirer
- 1960 ‐ Mark Ethridge
- 2006 ‐ Jim Amoss
- 1985 ‐ Helen Thomas
- 1959 ‐ Arthur Hays Sulzberger
- 2005 ‐ David Halberstam
- 1984 ‐ Frank McCulloch
- 1958 ‐ J.N. Heiskell