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Sepia-toned portrait of Neal Conan.

The work still to come.

An annual $50,000 unrestricted award for a mid-career journalist doing exceptional work.

In memory of Neal Conan
1949–2021

The 2027 Neal Conan Laureates

Announcing the inaugural class
Ingenuity, adaptability and perseverance.
Pablo Torre photo: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

Nikole Hannah-Jones

Nikole Hannah-Jones

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Latif Nasser

Latif Nasser

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Lydia Polgreen

Lydia Polgreen

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Pablo Torre

Pablo Torre

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Lauren Williams

Lauren Williams

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Nominations for the 2026 Prize closed on July 31, 2026. The next cycle opens November 26, 2026 and closes on July 31, 2027.

The story behind the Prize.

Prize Overview

Laureates contribute priority nominations for the Prize; a selection committee chooses the recipient.

Neal and the Prize Winner

Neal and the Prize Winner

In Honor of Neal Conan

Neal Conan

Neal J. Conan

Neal Conan spent nearly four decades at NPR as a reporter, producer, editor, and host of Talk of the Nation. His fairness, curiosity, and respect for listeners guide the Prize created in his memory.

2025 Prize Winner

Mohammed Mhawish, 2025 Neal Conan Prize winner

Mohammed Mhawish

Palestinian journalist Mohammed Mhawish reports with courage and humanity under extraordinary conditions. His work for The Nation, The New Yorker, and other outlets documents life in Gaza and the experiences of those displaced by war.

Latest from Neal Notes

Reporting, craft, and the conditions that make journalism possible.

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