The Paul Tobenkin Memorial Award
Congratulations to 2026 Winner Sonner Kehrt of The War Horse!
The Paul Tobenkin Memorial Award is given annually at graduation and honors the late New York Herald Tribune reporter and recognizes outstanding achievements in reporting on racial or religious hatred, intolerance or discrimination in the United States. The award is judged by the faculty of the Journalism School. #TobenkinAward
2026 Paul Tobenkin Award Winner
The 2026 Paul Tobenkin Memorial Award winner is investigative reporter Sonner Kehrt for a series of stories in The War Horse, an independent nonprofit newsroom dedicated to investigating the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Kehrt’s reports shed light on the effect the Trump Administration’s discriminatory policies have had on military families. Through richly sourced reporting and compassionate anecdotes, she examined how the policies have impacted women in combat, transgender service people, and the mixed-immigration status of military families. Kehrt, a former Coast Guard officer, humanized the plight of American service women and men who are being marginalized even as they serve honorably and make sacrifices for their country.
The Paul Tobenkin Memorial Award and its $1,500 prize is given for distinguished reporting about race, discrimination and religious intolerance. Authors may submit a portfolio of single articles or a published series. All platforms are all eligible for the award. All entries must have been published in the U.S. during 2025, though in the case of a series or ongoing story, work that appeared in January 2026 will be accepted. Journalists who report in a foreign language should submit copies of original stories with an English translation. No entry fee is required.
How to Nominate
ALL materials should be formatted and uploaded as PDFs. Supporting multimedia presentations can be sent as URLs. Links must remain live.
If you know a journalist who deserves to be recognized, please submit the completed nomination form and pertinent material. There is no entry fee.
To nominate a journalist, please submit the following materials:
- A brief letter from the editor indicating the scope of the reporter's work, including links to any websites created for the project.
- A brief biography of the reporter.
- Up to five articles published in 2025 that best typify the reporter's work.
The Paul Tobenkin Memorial Award was established at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1959 — during the heart of the civil rights movement — to honor the work of Paul Tobenkin, the New York Herald Tribune reporter, and to recognize outstanding achievements in reporting on racial or religious hatred, intolerance or discrimination in the United States.
2025
Fred Clasen-Kelly, Renuka Rayasam, Lauren Sausser, Arthur Allen, Angela Hart, and Daniel Chang of KFF Health News, “Systemic Sickness”
Judges: Aida Alami, Dolores A Barclay, Maria Elena Cabral
2024
Brandi Kellam and Louis Hansen, Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism, "Uprooted"
Judges: Elena Cabral, Ty Lawson and Habiba Nosheen
2023
Yvette Cabrera, Center for Public Integrity, Investigation of the devastating effects of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation.
Judges: Dolores A. Barclay, Duy Linh Tu and Elena Cabral
2022
Ian Shapira, The Washington Post, Series of investigative stories that forced a reckoning at Virginia Military Institute, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Judges: Daniel Alarcón, Dolores A. Barclay and Ari Goldman
2021
Susan Ferriss, Joe Yerardi and Taylor Johnston (Winners), Center for Public Integrity, Hidden Hardship
Justine van der Leun (Finalist), Type Investigations, The Evidence Against Her
Judges: Nina Alvarez, Dolores A. Barclay and Elena Cabral
2020
Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News, Lawless
Judges: Elena Cabral, Lisa R. Cohen and Ari Goldman
2019
Ginger Thompson, Michael Grabell and Topher Sanders, ProPublica, Zero Tolerance
Judges: Daniel Alarcón, Elena Cabral and Lonnie Isabel
2018
Reporters, ProPublica and the Florida Times-Union, Walking While Black
Judges: Daniel Alarcón, Elena Cabral, Lonnie Isabel
2017
Jenni Monet (Winner), independent journalist, Reveal, Coverage of the Standing Rock Sioux battle against the Dakota Access oil pipeline: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Will Evans (Special Citation), Account of the widespread employer practice of using temp agencies to discriminate against workers based on race, gender, age and even sexual orientation: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Judges: Elena Cabral, Jelani Cobb and Keith Gessen
2016
Terrence McCoy (Winner, ’12 MA Politics graduate), The Washington Post, Investigative stories about lead poisoning victims: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Talia Buford, Ronnie Greene, Kristen Lombardi and Amber Payne (Special Citation), The Center for Public Integrity and NBCBLK, Environmental Justice, Denied
Judges: Elena Cabral, June Cross and Abi Wright
2015
Mark Puente, The Baltimore Sun, Undue Force
Judges: Elena Cabral, Barbara Kantrowitz and Abi Wright
2014
Susan Ferriss, Center for Public Integrity, Throwaway Kids
Judges: Elena Cabral, June Cross and Barbara Kantrowitz
2013
Nikole Hannah-Jones, ProPublica, Living Apart: Fair Housing in America
Judges: Elena Cabral, June Cross and Barbara Kantrowitz
2012
Matt Apuzzo, Adam Goldman, Chris Hawley and Eileen Sullivan, The Associated Press, Series outlining the NYPD’s surveillance of minority and particularly Muslim neighborhoods since the 9/11 terror attacks
Judges: Elena Cabral, Howard French and Barbara Kantrowitz
2011
Tina Griego, The Denver Post, Raising Sun Valley
Judges:Columbia Journalism School Faculty
2010
Nina Bernstein, The New York Times, Series of articles documenting the mistreatment of immigrants in federal custody
Judges: Columbia Journalism School Faculty
2009
The Chauncey Bailey Project, Collaboration of a number of journalists and Bay Area news organizations: The project was conceived to probe the assassination of an Oakland journalist who was investigating a business called “Your Black Muslim Bakery.”
Judges: Columbia Journalism School Faculty
2008
Michael Riley, The Denver Post, Lawless Lands
Judges: Columbia Journalism School Faculty
2006
Alysia Tate, The Chicago Reporter, Chicago Matters
Judges: Columbia Journalism School Faculty
2005
Steve Hymon, Mitchell Landsberg, Charles Ornstein, Tracy Weber and Robert Gauthier, The Los Angeles Times, The Troubles at King/Drew
Judges: Columbia Journalism School Faculty
See the archived list of winners since 1961.
Judges
The Tobenkin Award is judged by Columbia Journalism School faculty.
Contact
212-854-6468
[email protected]
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