Joseph Sprague Memorial Award

This award, established in 1949, is the highest honor in the field of photojournalism. It is awarded to not more than two individuals each year and is granted only if achievement is, in the opinion of the Committee on Honorary Recognitions, of a sufficiendly high standard. Two awards may be given:

To a working photojournalist an individual who advances, elevates or attains unusual recognition for the profession of photojournalism by conduct, initiative, leadership, skill, and devotion to duty.

To an individual not a working photojournalist for unusual service or achievement beneficial to photojournalism or for an outstanding technology advance in equipment or processes of photojournalism.

Joseph A Sprague, who died in 1948, was a press technical representative for Graflex Corp., Rochester, NY. The firm manufactured Graflex and Speed and Crown Graphic cameras and flash units. Sprague is credited with the design of the Big Bertha, Magic Eye and Combat Camera and dozens of refinements to the Speed Graphic.

2021
Rich Beckman
Jodi Cobb

2020
Sandra Eisert
Eli Reed

2019
Karen Mullarkey
Maggie Steber

2018
Michelle Agins
Lisa Krantz

2017
David Burnett
Al Tompkins

2016
Michael Williamson
Ken Kobre

2015
Boyd Huppert
Jonathan Malat

2014
Michel du Cille

2013
Ken Hackman
Mickey Osterreicher

2012
Dennis Dimick
Charles W. "Chick" Harrity

2011
Donald R Winslow
Joe Torelli

2010
Bill Luster

2009
Bob Lynn
Kevin Scofield

2008
Steve Sweitzer
Sharon Freed

2007
John Long
Kenny Irby

2006
Bob Brandon
Clyde Mueller

2005
Rob Galbraith
Wally McNamee

2004
Dirck Halstead
William Pekala

2003
Joe Elbert
Dave Metz

2002
William Allard
Kurt Wimmer

2001
Carol Guzy
Mike Davis

2000
John Goheen
Michael Morse

1999
Darrell Barton
James Stanfield

1998
Ken Burns
Roy DeCarava

1997
James Geladas
James Nachtwey

1996
Bill Eppridge
Rick Smolan

1995
Ralph Morse
Jack Corn

1994
C Thomas Hardin
Gordon Yoder

1993
Bernie Boston
Steve Tello

1992
J Bruce Baumann
Peter Stackpole

1991
David Douglas Duncan
Harvey A Weber

1990
Raymond H DeMoulin
Marion Post Wolcott

1989
Robert C Dotson
John H White

1988
Gilbert Grosvenor
Gordon Parks

1987
Dean Conger
Edwin Sabol

1986
James Gordon
Carl Mydans

1985
Charles "Ned" Hockman
Anthony J Spina

1984
Robert Brush

1983
Arnold Drapkin
Larry Hatteberg

1982
Kenneth Cooke
John Savage

1981
Harold G Buell
F.W. 'Bill' Lyon
Joseph Rosenthal

1980
Stanley Forman
George A Shivers

1979
Howard Chapnick
Brian Lanker

1978
Ernie Crisp
Angus McDougall

1977
John W Ahlhauser
Wilbur E Garrett

1976
Eddie Adams
Cornell Capa

1975
Dave Hamer
Charles L Scott

1974
John Faber
Sam C Pierson Jr

1973
Cal Olson
Dick Pollard

1972
Richard C Clarkson
John Durniak

1971
Alfred Eisenstaedt
John G MorriS

1970
Murray Becker
Dr Frank Stanton

1969
Ollie Atkins
Harold Blumenfeld

1968
Morris Berman
Roy Emerson Stryker

1967
Robert E Gilka
Arthur Rothstein

1966
James R Bennett
Gail William Churchill

1965
Don Swenson
Hugh B Terry

1964
Russell V Hamm
William P Steven

1963
James Godbold
Harry W McHose

1962
Norris Harkness
Charles Higgins

1961
James Colvin
Charles Cooper

1960
Maj. William Lookadoo
Kenneth McLaughlin

1959
Robert Boyd
Marshall Field Jr.

1958
Ray Mackland
Floyd McCall

1957
Gardner Cowles
Paul Threlfall

1956
Joseph Benetti
Dr. Thomas S Curtis
Hon O Otto Moore

1955
Clifton Edom
Milton Freier
Robin Garland

1954
Vincent S Jones
Arthur L Witman

1953
J Winton Lemen
Don Mohler

1952
Robert H Dumke
Morris Schwartz

1951
William Randolph Hearst
John Hemmer

1950
Kent Cooper
William C Eckenberg
Frank Scherschel

1949
Joseph Costa
Harold Edgerton
Henry Luce
Ernest Sisto
George Yates