May 30, 2024 — The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and Prison Journalism Project (PJP) have today announced the winners of the inaugural Stillwater Awards.

The Stillwater Awards are a joint effort between SPJ and PJP, a non-profit organization that trains and publishes the work of incarcerated journalists. Named after the first prison to publish a newspaper — the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater — the awards seek to honor journalistic excellence in the incarcerated community, while promoting the field of journalism as a viable path for justice-impacted communities.

“The Stillwater Awards are a testament to the hard work of writers behind bars, who’ve persevered against all odds to ensure their voices and stories are heard. We couldn’t be prouder to honor these rising journalists,” said Stillwater Awards Executive Director Michael Anguille.

The awards were judged by a panel of educators, professional journalists and lawyers that are independent from both SPJ and PJP. Collectively, the judges gathered weekly to discuss over 165 total entries and select the top three winners in each category. All winners, regardless of placement, were provided with feedback directly from the judging panel — in addition to certificates. First place winners received free SPJ membership. A virtual event to honor the winners, hosted by Lawrence Bartley, publisher of The Marshall Project Inside, will be held via Zoom on June 17, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The event will include discussion from the organizers and judges, as well as a Q&A with family members of the award winners and the press. A full list of winners is available here.

2024 Stillwater Award Winners

Prison Publication of the Year                                                       

• First Place — San Quentin News, San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, Calif.               
• Second Place — Mule Creek Post, Mule Creek State Prison, Ione, Calif.    
• Third Place – The Endeavor, Everglades Correctional Institution, Miami                

Prison Journalist of the Year

• First Place – Christopher Blackwell, Washington Corrections Center, Shelton, Wash.
• Second Place – Steve Brooks, San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, Calif.
• Third Place — Jeff McKee, Washington State Penitentiary, Walla Walla, Wash.

New Prison Publication of the Year                      

• First Place — Top of the Mountain, Washington State Penitentiary, Walla Walla, Wash.    
• Second Place — Perceptions Reimagined, Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, Clinton, N.J.
• Third Place — MAC Newsletter, MacDougall Correctional Institution, Ridgeville, S.C.

Best News Story

• First Place — C. Dreams, “Georgia Prisoners Can Be Denied Vital Halfway House Placement Due to Medical Conditions,” The Appeal
• Second Place — Kevin D. Sawyer, “San Quentin is Decaying. California Has No Clear Plan to Fix It,” Prison Journalism Project
• Third Place — Christopher Blackwell, “Washington Prison Mishandled Court Mail, Impeded Access to Justice,” The Appeal

Best Feature                                                

• First Place — Jeff McKee, “Inside the Mental Health Unit at Washington State Penitentiary,” Prison Journalism Project
• Second Place — John J. Lennon, “How Do People Released From Prison Find Housing?,” The New York Times
• Third Place — Lexie Handlang, “Dreams of Leaving Prison: From Meeting Grandkids to Eating Whatever You Want,” Prison Journalism Project

Best Op-Ed

• First Place — Lyle C. May, “College on Death Row: ‘Ya’ll aren’t here to be rehabilitated,’” Open Campus Media
• Second Place — Christopher Monihan, “What Caused His PTSD? This Prison, Right Here,” Prison Journalism Project
• Third Place — Artemis Blankenship, “How California’s New Elder Parole Program Still Leaves Many Prisoners Behind,” Prison Journalism Project

Most Impactful Journalism                           

• First Place — Tariq MaQbool, “As a Muslim Prisoner in the U.S., I worry I will be cremated when I die,” Al Jazeera English                      
• Second Place — Christopher Blackwell, “Washington State Bill Would Undo ‘Superpredator’-Era Sentencing Scheme,” The Appeal
• Third Place — Ezzial Williams, “The Hidden Cost of ‘Free’ Tablets in Prison,” Scalawag Magazine

Best Collaboration

• First Place — Josh McGhee, Kory Hussain McClary, “The Last Days of Little Eddie,” The Guardian US, Mindsite News and Prison Journalism Project
• Second Place — Christopher Blackwell, Nina Zweig, “New Jersey Solitary Confinement Reform Hasn’t Changed Much In Prisons,” Type Investigations
• Third Place — Tina Vasquez, Derek R. Trumbo, Sr., “86 Cents for a Day of Work is a Reality for Most Incarcerated People,” Prism Reports

Best Illustration 

• First Place — Jessica Garza, for work published by Prison Journalism Project
• Second Place — Brian Hindson, for work published by Prison Journalism Project
• Third Place — Elsa Segura, for work published by Prison Journalism Project

About SPJ Florida Chapter

SPJ is the nation’s largest and oldest journalism membership organization, with more than 200 professional and college chapters nationwide. For more information visit: https://www.spj.org/.

Learn more about SPJ-Florida at: https://spjflorida.com/

About Prison Journalism Project

Prison Journalism Project is a national, independent, nonpartisan initiative that trains incarcerated writers in the tools of journalism and helps them reach an outside audience via their own publication as well as through partnerships with mainstream media organizations.

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Press Contact:
Michael Anguille
Executive Director, SPJ-PJP Stillwater Awards
561-667-7346
stillwater.awards@gmail.com