U.S. Marines raise the American flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima in the South Pacific, Feb. 23, 1945, by Joe Rosenthal, The Associated Press. For the story behind this photo and others in the exhibition, click here

This special exhibition will feature 128 award-winning images from 1942 (when the Pulitzer Prize for photojournalism was established) through the most recent awards in 2004.

Visitors to this exhibition will see one of the most extensive and dramatic traveling displays ever mounted at the museum. Photographic images, 3 ft. by 2.5 ft., will be arranged chronologically, filling both special exhibition galleries and the entire third floor Arcade. Each will be accompanied by a firsthand account of the events leading up to the photograph.

Some of these images capture heroic moments like the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima. Others record shocking events like the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Some portray familiar events during the past six decades, others forgotten ones. Some tell the stories of famous people, others of ordinary citizens.

These epic moments were captured by photojournalists doing their daily job. Many modestly claim they were simply at the right place at the right time. Yet, they had the skill and the daring to seize the opportunity when it presented itself. That chance may have come while working on assignment close to home or around the globe.

This remarkable exhibition will be on view in Stockton thanks to the generous support of the Bank of Stockton and The Record; and additional support from Caroline Photography Inc., Residence Inn by Marriott Stockton. They and the Haggin are proud that the museum is the only California venue for this display and one of only two venues, including Seattle, on the West Coast.

INTRODUCING THE EXHIBITION CURATOR
The Haggin Museum is honored that Cyma Rubin, the exhibition’s curator, will be a special guest at the opening reception on Saturday, April 2. She has been the driving force behind this Pulitzer Prize exhibition. Her varied and distinguished career in the arts as a producer, director, and writer gave her the experience and skills necessary to organize and oversee a project of this magnitude.

The Pulitzer exhibition was originally shown in Japan, where it attracted over 500,000 visitors. Its current American tour represents a joint venture between the Newseum, an interactive museum of news in Arlington, Virginia, and Business of Entertainment, Inc., which Rubin heads as president.

The show has already traveled to venues all over the country, including Texas, Arkansas, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Michigan, Colorado, and Missouri. Rubin will continue to oversee this lengthy tour through 2008, making it possible for tens of thousands of Americans to view these compelling images.

EXHIBITION CATALOGUE AND VIDEO TELL THE PULITZER STORY
Complementing the Pulitzer exhibition are a catalogue and video that recount the often riveting events surrounding the award-winning photographs selected to receive the Pulitzer Prize.

The catalogue, Capturing the Moment: The Pulitzer Prize Photographs, features high quality reproductions in black & white and color of the photographs in the exhibition, along with firsthand accounts of each image. Other highlights include a fascinating history of the Pulitzer Prize and short biographies of the photographers who have won this coveted prize.

The Pulitzer exhibition curator Cyma Rubin edited the catalogue with Eric Newton, who worked at The Oakland Tribune when it won a Pulitzer for its coverage of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

The updated version of this 224-page catalogue with its excellent reproductions is on sale in the Museum Store for $30.

Cyma Rubin has also produced and directed Moment of Impact: Stories of the Pulitzer Prize Photographs, an Emmy Award-winning television documentary that takes a close look at six of the Pulitzer photographs. It is a film that captures firsthand the tension and fast pace of events resulting in these images.

The video will be shown in the Storefronts area at the foot of the Pioneer Room stairs during the run of the exhibition. It is also on sale in the Museum Store for $19.95.

CHILDREN AND THE PULITZER EXHIBITION
Parental discretion is suggested in regard to visiting the Pulitzer exhibition with young children. Kids will easily connect with some of the photographs that feature families and children their own age. Some of these photos capture joyful moments, others dangerous and threatening situations. Those bringing young children to the exhibit should be aware that some of these images may be disturbing. It is important that an adult is along to explain the history and context.