Join RFK tomorrow for the 2022 Book and Journalism Awards

Besides being a judge in the editorial cartoon division, I highly recommend these awards for a look at some truly fantastic journalism that will open your eyes. The Pulitzers get more attention but I feel these awards are more interesting.

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Visit https://rfkhro.org/rfkbja2022 at 4 pm EDT tomorrow (Tuesday, May 24)  to join us and an inspiring line-up of special presenters like Van Jones, Soledad O'Brien, Craig Melvin and more as they announce this year's award winners at the 2022 Book and Journalism Awards.

Want to add this event to your calendar? Then click here to download the event file for your calendar.

Excited about this event? Then follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube and join the conversation by using the event hashtag #RFKBJA.

We look forward to seeing you online.

With hope and appreciation, 
The team at RFK Human Rights

Have questions about this event? Then email communications@rfkhumanrights.org.

Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award editorial cartoon list updated

 A list of Robert F. Kennedy cartoon journalism awards

Incomplete list harvested from Wikipedia, Guide to the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation Records, and other places - 

 1983

·  First Prize cartoons: Don Wright, Miami News

·  Citation, cartoon: Sam C. Rawls, The Atlanta Constitution

*1985

Paul Conrad

1986

·  Citation, cartoon: Mike Peters, Dayton Daily News

·  Honorable mention, cartoon: H. Clay Bennett, St. Petersburg Times

1987

·  Honorable mention, cartoon: Bill Day, Detroit Free Press, "The Color Black 'n' Blue".

1990

Paul Conrad?

·  Honorable mention, cartoon: Mike Peters, The Dayton Daily News.

*1992

·  Paul Conrad, Los Angeles Times (per NY Times)

*1993

Paul Conrad?

·  Honorable mention, cartoon: Don Wright, The Palm Beach Post, "Perot for President".

*1994

Mike Luckovich for cartoons that reflect positively on the disadvantaged.

Jack Higgins, finalist

1995

·  Honorable mention, cartoon: Mike Luckovich, The Atlanta Constitution.

1997

·  Cartoon: Doug Marlette, Newsday.

1998 - format changes to have winners in each category

1998

Dan Perkins (Tom Tomorrow)

1999

·  Domestic cartoon: Joel Pett, The Lexington Herald Leader.

2000

Domestic cartoon: Ted Rall
Universal Press Syndicate

2001

Domestic cartoon: Matt Davies
The Journal News

2002

Cartoon Prize: Signe Wilkinson
Philadelphia Daily News

2003

Cartoon: Dan Perkins ("Tom Tomorrow")  "This Modern World"          

2004

Cartoon: John Sherffius                        

2005

 Cartoon: Mark Fiore
 

2006

Cartoon: John Backderf
"The City"

2007

Clay Bennett

2008

Cartoon: Signe Wilkinson
Philadelphia Daily News

2009

Cartoon: Jack Ohman
The Oregonian

2010

Cartoon: Bill Day
Series of cartoons,
United Feature Syndicate

2011

Cartoon: Gary Varvel
"The Path to Hope"
The Indianapolis Star

2012

Cartoon: Stephanie McMillan
"The Beginning of the American Fall and Code Green"
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

2013

Cartoon: Jen Sorensen
 
2014

Cartoon: David Horsey
“Portfolio by David Horsey,”
Los Angeles Times

2015

Cartoon: Darrin Bell
"Darrin Bell 2014 Editorial Cartoons,"
The Washington Post Writers Group

2016

Cartoon: Angelo Lopez, “Editorial Cartoons,”
Philippines Today
 
2017

Cartoon: Mike Thompson, “The Flint Water Scandal,”
Detroit Free Press

2018

Cartoon: Ruben Bolling, Andrews McMeel Syndication, Boing Boing, Daily Kos, and GoComics
“Tom the Dancing Bug”
Syndicated by Andrews McMeel Syndication

 2019

Mark Fiore's “Family Separation in Cartoons”
KQED News and online news outlets

 2020

JD Crowe of the Alabama Media Group  

2021

"Invulnerable" from Thi Bui and The Nib

 2022 

Clay Jones

2023

Joel Pett

(updated 3/18/2024, marked with *)

Photo barrage - RFK award, AAAS' STEAM Exhibit, Heroic Aleworks and Vanessa Bettencourt

Here's pictures from some of the recent events in Washington and the area (click through to go to Flickr for more pictures):



American Association for the Advance of Science (AAAS)'s S.T.E.A.M. exhibit on educational comics, Within the Panels, with Matt Dembicki.



Heroic Aleworks brewery in Woodbridge, VA held a mini comics-con with DC Conspiracy members.



RFK awards 2017 - Mike Thompson won the cartoon award for a series on Flint, Michigan's water.



Vanessa Bettencourt at Alexandria's Hooray for Books

Angelo Lopez wins cartooning award in the Annual Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards

Selections from the press release:

Cartoon Winner
"Editorial Cartoons," Angelo Lopez, Philippines Today

"Throughout his life, my father held a deep commitment to freedom of expression and freedom of the press." Observed Kerry Kennedy, President, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights "He would invite reporters and news crews to join him in the most impoverished city neighborhoods, to Indian reservations and communities in Appalachia, California's Central Valley or rural Indiana—places that often lacked electricity and plumbing—and he would ask the press corps why it wasn't covering those issues and these places. The Journalists who followed his '68 campaign created the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards in his name, to honor those who covered the issues most important to him."

This year's Book and Journalism Award winners were chosen from out of more than 300 submissions. Historian Michael Beschloss chaired the judges' panel for the 2016 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award.

The book award, now in its 36^th year, will be presented by Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy at a ceremony featuring remarks by Kerry Kennedy and Michael Beschloss on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

The ceremony will also feature the presentation of the 2016 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards, celebrating their 48^th year. All honorees will receive a bust of Robert F. Kennedy in recognition of their award.

(as in the past few years, ComicsDC editor Mike Rhode was one of the judges)

Cartoonists on the joy of cartoon contests

That title up there is sarcastic, but check out the comments where two local cartoon contests - the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award and the Herblock Award are specifically mentioned - Picking up the tab to enter cartoon contests, by Alan Gardner, January 13, 2010.

BTW, I've been asked to be an RFK judge again this year (mentioned in the interests of transparency), but I was told by one of the previous judges who picked Derf that they had to threaten to not give the award that year if it wasn't given to him - so the judges aren't always in sync with the award-granting organization. I can say that last year the other RFK judges and I took our roles quite seriously and spent hours pouring through a few score portfolios.

RFK Journalism Award to Signe Wilkinson

Alan Gardner broke the story, but here's the citation from the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial's press release:

Cartoon Winner: Signe Wilkinson’s editorial cartoons from The Daily News were instrumental in moving the issue of violence in disadvantaged neighborhoods and schools to the top of the city’s agenda. Her cartoons offer a “steady drumbeat of funny, moving and shocking images”. The RFK Cartoon Judges write, “Her series attacking gun violence in Philadelphia spared no one and drew complaints from everyone- the hallmark of any good cartoonist”.

Some DC-area cartoonists are usually on the awards panel - perhaps they'll chime in.

Also note, "All recipients of the 40th Annual Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards will be honored at a ceremony on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 6:30 PM at the Newseum in Washington, DC."