For distinguished editorial writing in a United States newspaper published daily, Sunday or at least once a week, during the year, the test of excellence being clearness of style, moral purpose, sound reasoning and power to influence public opinion in what the writer conceives to be the right direction, due account being taken of the whole volume of the editorial writer’s work during the year, One thousand dollars ($1,000).
The Atlanta (GA) Constitution , by Ralph McGill
For his distinguished editorial writing during 1958 as exemplified in his editorial "A Church, A School...." and for his long, courageous and effective editorial leadership.
The Jury
The Jury
Harry S. Ashmore*
Executive Editor, Arkansas Gazette, Little Rock
Sevellon Brown, 3rd
Editor, Providence Journal-Bulletin
Miles H. Wolff
Executive Editor, Greensboro (N.C.) Daily News
Winners in Editorial Writing
Harry S. Ashmore
For the forcefulness, dispassionate analysis and clarity of his editorials on the school integration conflict in Little Rock.
Buford Boone
For his fearless and reasoned editorials in a community inflamed by a segregation issue, an outstanding example of his work being the editorial entitled, "What a Price for Peace," published on February 7,1956.
Lauren K. Soth
For the editorial inviting a farm delegation from the Soviet Union to visit Iowa, which led directly to the Russian farm visit to the U.S..
Royce Howes
For an editorial on "The Cause of a Strike," impartially and clearly analyzing the responsibility of both labor and management for a local union's unauthorized strike in July, 1954, which rendered 45,000 Chrysler Corporation workers idle and unpaid. By pointing out how and why the parent United Automobile Workers' Union ordered the local strike called off and stating that management let dissatisfaction get out of hand, the editorial made a notable contribution to public understanding of the whole program of the respective responsibilities and relationships of labor and management in this field.
1959 Prize Winners
William H. (Bill) Mauldin
For "I won the Nobel Prize for Literature. What was your crime?" Published on October 30, 1958.