WASHINGTON – Howard University alumnus, Donovan Thomas (BA '22), was a part of The New York Times 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning team recognized for a distinguished example of reporting on national affairs, using any available journalistic tool. 

The winning series was an ambitious project that quantified a disturbing pattern of fatal traffic stops by police, illustrating how hundreds of deaths could have been avoided and how officers typically avoided punishment with articles like “How Police Justify Killing Drivers: The Vehicle Was a Weapon” and “How a Genetic Trait in Black People Can Give the Police Cover.” 

Established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, the Pulitzer Prize is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. With this recognition, Thomas joins others in the Howard community whose work has been recognized with this distinguished award, including Howard University professor Nikole Hannah-Jones, alumna Toni Morrison, and technical advisor for The Hilltop Newspaper, Keith Alexander.  

We sat down with Thomas to ask him about graduating from Howard, journalist integrity, the Howard mentors that aided him in his investigative journalist journey, and his next steps. 

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About Howard University 

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 14 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu. 

Media Contact: Aaliyah Butler; aaliyah.butler@howard.edu