DALLAS, TX.- The Pulitzer Prize in Photography is one of the most prestigious awards in photojournalism. Established as a Pulitzer category in 1942, it acknowledges the power of the camera to document history with a directness and emotional impact unlike any other medium. In 1968, the award was divided into two categories: Feature Photography, honoring in-depth visual storytelling, and Breaking News Photography, recognizing powerful images captured during unfolding events.

And since its inception, Pulitzer Prize-winning photography has chronicled the defining moments of the modern era. From the battlefields of World War II and Vietnam to the struggle for civil rights, political upheaval, natural disasters and moments of profound human triumph and tragedy, these images have informed the public, challenged assumptions and become part of our collective memory. Many Pulitzer-winning photographs have transcended journalism to become enduring works of art and universally recognized cultural touchstones.

The significance of these photographs extends far beyond their visual power. Photojournalism occupies a unique place in a free society, serving as one of the most important expressions of First Amendment freedoms. The ability of journalists and photographers to document events without government interference is fundamental to an informed citizenry. Throughout American history, photographs have exposed injustice, revealed the realities of war, documented social change and held institutions accountable. They provide evidence, preserve memory and give future generations an unfiltered view of the events that have shaped their world.

On July 1, Heritage Auctions is honored to present an extraordinary offering of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs that spans nearly four decades of American and world history. These are the original photographs used in the making of the book Moments: The Pulitzer Prize Photographs, by Sheryle and John Leekley, Crown Publishers, New York. These photographs were printed exclusively for the authors by the actual Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers or, when that was not possible, they were supplied by printing labs of the media companies they worked for at the time of the award.





The collection includes some of the most influential images ever published — photographs that not only earned journalism’s highest honor but also changed the way millions of people understood the world around them.

Featured Highlights

Joe Rosenthal — Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima (1945 Pulitzer Prize)

Few photographs in history are as instantly recognizable as Rosenthal’s image of U.S. Marines raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima. The photograph became an enduring symbol of courage, sacrifice and national unity during World War II. Reproduced countless times and immortalized in the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, it remains one of the most celebrated photographs ever made.

Max Desfor — Flight of Refugees Across Wrecked Bridge in Korea (1951 Pulitzer Prize)

Captured during the Korean War, Desfor’s haunting image depicts desperate civilians crossing the shattered remains of a bridge amid the chaos of conflict. The photograph vividly conveyed the human cost of war to audiences around the world and stands among the most powerful visual records of civilian suffering in 20th-century warfare.

Robert H. Jackson — Jack Ruby Shoots Lee Harvey Oswald (1964 Pulitzer Prize)

Taken inside the Dallas police headquarters just two days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Jackson’s photograph freezes the exact moment nightclub owner Jack Ruby shot accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. The image became one of the defining photographs of the 1960s and remains one of the most dramatic and consequential news photographs ever published.

Eddie Adams — Street Execution of a Viet Cong Prisoner, Saigon (1969 Pulitzer Prize)

Adams’ shocking photograph captured the execution of a Viet Cong prisoner during the Vietnam War. Published around the world, the image became one of the most influential photographs in the history of journalism, profoundly shaping public perceptions of the conflict and demonstrating the unparalleled power of photography to influence public debate.

John Filo — A God-Awful Scream (1971 Pulitzer Prize)

Taken moments after the Kent State shootings, Filo's photograph of a young woman crying out over the body of a slain student became an enduring symbol of political division and the turmoil in the Vietnam era. The image encapsulated the anguish felt across the nation and remains one of the most powerful visual representations of protest and loss in American history.

Nick Ut — The Terror of War (1973 Pulitzer Prize)

Known throughout the world as the “Napalm Girl” photograph, Ut’s image of children fleeing a napalm attack in Vietnam stands among the most important photographs ever created. Its raw emotional impact helped bring the realities of war into living rooms across the globe and has become a defining image of 20th-century photojournalism and humanitarian awareness.

“These photographs are much more than award-winning images. They are primary historical documents that helped shape how entire generations understood the world around them,” says Nigel Russell, Director of Photographs at Heritage Auctions. “Each was created in a moment that demanded witness, and together they form a remarkable visual record of the triumphs, tragedies and turning points that defined the twentieth century. Opportunities to acquire original prints of this caliber and historical significance are exceedingly rare, making this collection important not only to photography collectors, but to anyone interested in preserving the visual history of our time.”