PersonJewish Eligibility — Verified by JWR

Marya Zaturenska

Ukrainian-born American lyric poet whose collection Cold Morning Sky won the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.

United States

Arnold Genthe / Library of Congress / Wikimedia CommonsSourcePublic Domain

Biography

Ukrainian-born American lyric poet whose collection Cold Morning Sky won the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. In Jewish World Records, Marya Zaturenska is connected to the record “First Jewish Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry,” based on the stored achievement of Pulitzer Prize for Poetry — Cold Morning Sky, 1938. Marya Zaturenska won the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for Cold Morning Sky. Contemporary Jewish press called her a Jewish poetess, and her son's published introduction states that her parents were Jewish. The Pulitzer Prizes lists Cold Morning Sky by Marya Zaturenska as the 1938 Poetry winner. JINFO's Jewish Pulitzer Poetry chronology begins with Zaturenska in 1938 and cites her son's statement that her parents were Jewish; this establishes her as the earliest qualifying Jewish recipient.

Records held by Marya Zaturenska

Portrait of poet Marya Zaturenska in 1921.

JWR Verified

Awards · Pulitzer PrizeFirst

First Jewish Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

Record holder

Marya Zaturenska

Record value

2 May 1938

Marya Zaturenska holds the record as the first Jewish recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, an achievement she secured in 1938 for her collection, 'Cold Morning Sky'. The prize was awarded in New York, New York, and official lists from The Pulitzer Prizes confirm her as the winner in the Poetry category for that year. Her position as the earliest qualifying Jewish recipient is based on a chronological review of all Pulitzer Poetry winners combined with biographical verification.

Country represented: United States
Achievement location: New York, New York, United States
Achievement date: 2 May 1938

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