The Pulitzer Prizes for 1972 are:^[1]

• Public Service:
  • The New York Times, for the publication of the Pentagon Papers.
• Local General or Spot News Reporting:
  • Richard Cooper and John Machacek of the Rochester Times-Union, for their coverage of the Attica Prison riots.
• Local Investigative Specialized Reporting:
  • Timothy Leland, Gerard M. O'Neill, Stephen A. Kurkjian and Ann Desantis of The Boston Globe, for their exposure of widespread corruption in Somerville, Massachusetts.
• National Reporting:
  • Jack Anderson, syndicated columnist, for his reporting of American policy decision-making during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
• International reporting:
  • Peter R. Kann of The Wall Street Journal, for his coverage of the Indo Pakistan War of 1971.
• Commentary:
  • Mike Royko of the Chicago Daily News, for his columns during 1971.
• Criticism:
  • Frank Peters Jr. of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, for his music criticism during 1971.
• Editorial Writing:
  • John Strohmeyer of the Bethlehem Globe-Times, for his editorial campaign to reduce racial tensions in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
• Editorial Cartooning:
  • Jeffrey K. MacNelly of the Richmond News-Leader, for his editorial cartooning during 1971.
• Spot News Photography:
  • Horst Faas and Michel Laurent of Associated Press, for their picture series, Death in Dacca.
• Feature Photography:
  • David Hume Kennerly of United Press International, for his dramatic photographs of the Vietnam War in 1971.

• Fiction:
  • Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner (Random)
• Drama:
  • No award given.
• History:
  • Neither Black Nor White by Carl N. Degler (Macmillan)
• Biography or Autobiography:
  • Eleanor and Franklin by Joseph P. Lash (Norton)
• Poetry:
  • Collected Poems by James Wright (Wesleyan Univ. Press)
• Nonfiction:
  • Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-1945 by Barbara W. Tuchman (Macmillan)
• Music:
  • Windows by Jacob Druckman (MCA Music)
    Premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on March 16, 1972, at Orchestra Hall, Chicago.

• Official website