Jacqui Banaszynski, speaking at the Missouri School of Journalism in 2008
Jacqui Banaszynski speaking at the Missouri School of Journalism in 2008

Jacqueline Marie Banaszynski (born April 17, 1952)[1] is an American journalist. She was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 1988. Banaszynski went on to become a professor and a John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Chair at the school of journalism at University of Missouri.

Biography

Born in Pulaski, Wisconsin,[1] Banaszynski began working as a journalist in high school and when she was 15, became the associate editor of the school paper, the Pulaski News.[2] Part of the appeal of working on the paper was that the journalism program gave her access to sporting events at the school level.[3] Banaszynski graduated from Pulaski High School in 1970 and earned a degree in journalism from Marquette University in 1974., graduating magna cum laude.[1][2][4][5][3]

Around 1984, Banaszynski started working for the St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch.[6] In 1985, she went on assignment to Africa and her story about Sudanese victims of famine, "The Trail of Tears," became a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 1986.[7][8]

Banaszynski wrote a special report called "AIDS in the Heartland" while she was a reporter at the St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch.[2] The report was a series of stories that centered around the lives of two gay Minnesota farmers, Both had contracted and died of AIDS .[2] She and photographer Jean Pieri searched for a year for subjects that they felt could "humanize people afflicted by this terrifying new illness."[9] Their choice of following Dick Hanson and his partner, Bert Henningson, at first upset readers of the newspaper, but after the final installment of the 3 part series, most readers seemed to sympathize with both men.[9] The series won a Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 1988.[10]

In 1997, Banaszynski began working for The Seattle Times and in 2003, became the Associate Managing Editor for special projects and staff development.[11]

Banaszynski was inducted into the American Society of Sunday and Feature Editors Hall of Fame in 2008.[4] She went on to become the Knight Chair at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c Brennan, Elizabeth A.; Clarage, Elizabeth C., eds. (1999). "Jacqueline Marie Banaszynski". Who's who of Pulitzer Prize Winners. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9781573561112. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Lyons, Tom (April 1, 1988). "Pulitzer Prize Winner Got Her Start on Newspaper at Pulaski". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved December 24, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. and "Pulitzer". Green Bay Press-Gazette. April 1, 1988. p. A2. Retrieved December 24, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b Rudd, Elizabeth (March 6, 2015). "Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist Speaks at UI". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Retrieved December 24, 2018 – via EBSCOhost.
  4. ^ a b "Jacqui Banaszynski". Missouri School of Journalism. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  5. ^ "Picture". Star Tribune. July 17, 1983. Retrieved December 24, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "St. Paul Reporter Wins Pulitzer Prize". Argus-Leader. April 1, 1988. Retrieved December 24, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Jacqui Banaszynski". Herstory. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  8. ^ "The 1986 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in International Reporting". The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  9. ^ a b Woltman, Nick (July 25, 2016). "Pulitzer Prize-winning series humanized AIDS crisis, divided Pioneer Press readers". Twin Cities. Archived from the original on September 15, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  10. ^ "The 1988 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Feature Writing". The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  11. ^ "People & Places". Quill. 91 (2): 37. 2003 – via EBSCOhost.
  12. ^ Moody, Kathryn (February 12, 2015). "Pulitzer-winner Banaszynski urges reporters to have 'courage to care'". IU Bloomington. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.

External links