Stephen Henderson of the Detroit Free Press recently received a Pulitzer Prize for his series of editorials on the financial crisis facing his hometown.

The Pulitzer jury awarded the 43-year-old the biggest prize in U.S. journalism for writing "with passion and a stirring sense of place, sparing no one in [his] critique."

“It’s not really sunk in yet. I’m still completely overwhelmed, but, of course, really grateful,” Henderson told the Free Press.

“The work that we do here is so important right now and so critical to the city.”

Several members of the National Association of Black Journalists also received recognition when The Boston Globe was awarded the Pulitzer for breaking-news, largely for its "blanket coverage" of last year's Boston Marathon bombings. The explosion and subsequent manhunt resulted in four deaths and more than 260 injuries.

“There’s nobody in this room that wanted to cover this story. And each and every one of us hopes that nothing like it ever happens again on our watch,” editor Brian McGrory told the Globe staff in the wake of the publication's win.

NABJ President Bob Butler lauded Henderson and the other winning NABJ winners in a recent statement.

“Henderson consistently has done outstanding work in Detroit and we’re glad he’s finally getting his due,” Butler said. 

“As for the Globe staffers, they received a timely reminder of their fine work. The win was announced on the eve of the tragedy’s first anniversary and recognized their efforts just days before next week’s 2014 Boston Marathon.”

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(Photo: Courtesy of Stephen Henderson)