Awards

Since its start in 1976, Mother Jones has won many awards for its reporting, illustration, photography, videos, and social media. Since 2001, it has been selected a finalist for the prestigious National Magazine Award for General Excellence 11 times, winning on three occasions. Below are some of its more recent awards.

2024

Society for Environmental Journalists (Outstanding Feature, Large), Second Honorable Mention
“The Venus Fly Trap and the Golf Course”
Jackie Mogensen

Gerald Loeb Awards (Feature), Finalist
“Inside the Psychiatric Hospitals Where Foster Kids Are a “Gold Mine””
Julia Lurie

Online News Awards (Excellence in Social Justice Reporting; single story), Winner
“A New Police Force Chased a 17-Year-Old Boy to His Death. Then It Vanished.”
Samantha Michaels

Online News Awards (Digital Video Storytelling; Long Form, Small/Medium Newsroom), Finalist
“After the Crash”
Samantha Michaels, Mark Helenowski

NABJ Salute to Excellence Awards (Digital Media: Commentary/Weblog), Winner
“Race in America”
Garrison Hayes

Society of Publication Designers (Social Single Story/Reel), Gold Winner
“Dry Run”
Adam Vieyra

Telly Awards (Non-Broadcast – Documentary: Short Form (Under 40 Minutes), Gold Winner
“After the Crash”
Mark Helenowski, Samantha Michaels

Telly Awards (Social Video – Sports), Gold Winner
“How the Story of Soccer Became the Story of Everything”
Sam Van Pykeren, Tim Murphy

Telly Awards (Social Video – Social Impact), Gold Winner
“Uncovering America’s Hidden Racial Realities”
Garrison Hayes

Telly Awards (Social Video – Not-for-profit), Silver Winner
“A Generational Game-Changer for Non-Profit Journalism”
Garrison Hayes, Mark Helenowski

Telly Awards (Social Video – Video Journalism), Silver Winner
“The Coordinated Assault on Trans Health Care”
Sam Van Pykeren, Madison Pauly

Telly Awards (Social Video – News & Information), Bronze Winner
“Democracy in Danger: It Can Happen Here”
David Corn, Sam Van Pykeren

Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards
“Inside the Psychiatric Hospitals Where Foster Kids Are a ‘Gold Mine’”
Julia Lurie

National Association of Black Journalists Salute to Excellence (Digital Media – Commentary/Weblog), Finalist
“Race in America”
Garrison Hayes

Deadline Club Awards (Magazine Feature Reporting), Finalist
“Is This the End of Prison Phone Fees?”
Robin Kaiser-Schatzlein

Webby Awards (Social – News and Politics), Finalist
Tim Murphy, David Corn, Sam Van Pykeren, James West, Garrison Hayes, Arianna Coghill, Madison Pauly, Hannah Levintova, Dan Friedman

Webby Awards (Social – News and Politics), Winner
Garrison Hayes

Livingston Awards (National Reporting), Finalist
“Inside the Psychiatric Hospitals Where Foster Kids Are a ‘Gold Mine’”
Julia Lurie

ASME National Magazine Award (Video), Finalist
“Race in America”
Garrison Hayes

ASME National Magazine Award (General Excellence), Finalist

ASME National Magazine Award (Essay), Finalist
“Yes in Our Backyards”
Bill McKibbon

Anthem Awards (News & Journalism), Silver Winner
Garrison Hayes

Anthem Awards (Social Media Content, Campaign or Channel), Silver Winner
Garrison Hayes

2023

Society of Professional Journalists/Northern California (Longform Storytelling, print/online large division), Winner
“Forever Home”
Julia Lurie

Society of Professional Journalists/Northern California (Photojournalism, photo essay), Winner
“Pajaro’s Quest to Rebuild”
Zaydee Sanchez

John Jay/Harry Frank Guggenheim Award (Single Story), Winner
“She Never Hurt Her Kids. So Why Is a Mother Serving More Time Than the Man Who Abused Her Daughter?”
Samantha Michaels

Society for Features Journalism (Features Series, Division 2), First Place
“How Private Equity Looted America”
Hannah Levintova, Tim Murphy

Society for Features Journalism (General Feature, Division 2), Second Place
“She Never Hurt Her Kids. So Why Is a Mother Serving More Time Than the Man Who Abused Her Daughter?”
Samantha Michaels

Edward E. Murrow Awards (Investigative Reporting, Network Radio), Winner
“The Ballot Boogeymen”
Ari Berman

Online Journalism Awards (Digital Video Storytelling, Long Form, Small/Medium Newsroom), Finalist
“She never hurt her kids. So why is she in prison?”
Mark Helenowski, Samantha Michaels

Society of Publication Designers (Video: Feature Video: News/Documentary), Gold Winner
“She never hurt her kids. So why is she in prison?”
Mark Helenowski, Samantha Michaels

Telly Awards (Social Video General – Documentary: Short Form), Silver Winner
“She never hurt her kids. So why is she in prison?”
Mark Helenowski, Samantha Michaels

Telly Awards (Non-Broadcast – Documentary: Short Form), Silver Winner
“She never hurt her kids. So why is she in prison?”
Mark Helenowski, Samantha Michaels

Telly Awards (Social Video – Use of Stock Footage), Silver Winner
“Welcome to Private Equity City”
Mark Helenowski

Telly Awards (Social Video – Video Journalism), Bronze Winner
“Souls and Polls: Christianity Is on the Georgia Ballot”
Garrison Hayes

ASME Best Cover Contest (Sports and Adventure, Readers’ Choice), Winner
“Blood Sport”
Adam Vieyra, Grace Molteni, Lisa Sheehan

ASME Best Cover Contest (Sports and Adventure), Finalist
“Blood Sport”
Adam Vieyra, Grace Molteni, Lisa Sheehan

ASME Best Cover Contest (Digital Design), Finalist
“Looted”
Adam Vieyra, Michael Byers

Asian American Journalists Association Awards (Written Reporting, Feature), Winner
“My Family Lost Our Farm During Japanese Incarceration. I Went Searching for What Remains.”
Ruth Chizuko Murai

Livingston Awards (National Reporting), Finalist
“Hazing, Fighting, Sexual Assaults: How Valley Forge Military Academy Devolved Into “Lord of the Flies””
Jasper Craven

Livingston Awards (National Reporting), Finalist
“She Never Hurt Her Kids. So Why Is a Mother Serving More Time Than the Man Who Abused Her Daughter?”
Mark Helenowski and Samantha Michaels

Deadline Club Award (Magazine Profile), Finalist
“Blake Masters Is Peter Thiel’s Dream Candidate—and a Total Nightmare for Democracy”
Noah Lanard

John Bartlow Martin Award, Winner
“The Mother Trap”
Samantha Michaels

Society of Publication Designers (Feature Video: News/Documentary), Finalist
“The Mother Trap”
Mark Helenowski and Samantha Michaels

ASME National Magazine Award (Video), Winner
“The Mother Trap”
Mark Helenowski and Samantha Michaels

ASME National Magazine Award (General Excellence), Finalist

ASME National Magazine Award (Reporting), Finalist
“The Mother Trap”
Samantha Michaels

Association for Business Journalists Best in Business Awards (Explanatory & Banking/Finance), Honorable Mention
“Smash and Grab Economy”
Hannah Levintova, Tim Murphy and Mark Helenowski

Anthem Awards (Human & Civil Rights – News & Journalism), Gold Winner
“The Mother Trap”
Samantha Michaels, Mark Helenowski

Anthem Awards (Human & Civil Rights – News & Journalism), Silver Winner
“Big Liars and the Coming Coup”
Noah Lanard, Stephanie Mencimer, Tim Murphy and Ari Berman

2022

National Association of Black Journalists (Magazine – Investigative), Winner
“The Machine that Eats up Black Farmland”
Kathryn Joyce, Nathan Rosenberg, and Bryce Stucki

Overseas Press Club of America (International Business News Reporting), Winner
“The Bitter Work Behind Sugar”
Sandy Tolan, Euclides Cordero Nuel and Michael Montgomery

Society of Publication Designers (Original Digital Photography), Gold Winner
“See Myanmar’s Crisis Through the Eyes of the Photographers Risking Their Lives to Bear Witness”
Mark Murrmann

Society of Publication Designers (Original Digital Photography), Silver Winner
It’s Not the Other America. It’s Just America.
Mark Murrmann

Hillman Prize (Magazine Journalism), Winner
“Leaked Video: Dark Money Group Brags About Writing GOP Voter Suppression Bills Across the Country”
Ari Berman

Telly Award (General-News & Information for Social Video), Silver Winner
“New Evidence: Trump Rioters Brought Guns to the Capitol”
Sam Van Pykeren

Telly Award (General-News & Information for Social Video), Silver Winner
“Leaked Video: Dark Money Group is Writing Voter Suppression Laws”
Sam Van Pykeren

Telly Award (General-Social Issues for Non-Broadcast), Silver Winner
“Robinhood’s Design Won Awards. Now, It’s the Problem”
Mark Helenowski

Telly Award (General-Documentary: Individual for Non-Broadcast), Silver Winner
“Robinhood’s Design Won Awards. Now, It’s the Problem”
Mark Helenowski

2021

ASME National Magazine Award (Community Journalism), Finalist
“Whose Streets?”
Samantha Michaels

ASME National Magazine Award (Community Journalism), Finalist
“How Black Oaklanders Finally Expelled the School Police”
Edwin Rios

ASME National Magazine Award (Community Journalism), Finalist
“Caroll Fife is in the House. Now She Wants to Burn it Down”
Jamilah King

NPPA Photojournalism Awards (Magazine Cover), Honorable mention
“End of Policing as We Know it”
Mark Murrmann

NPPA Photojournalism Awards (Magazine General News Story), Third place
“The Black Hill Are Not for Sale”
Mark Murrmann

NPPA Photojournalism Awards (Magazine Contemporary Issues Story), Second place
“Our Country is Full”
Mark Murrmann

NPPA Photojournalism Awards (Magazine Contemporary Issues Story), Honorable mention
“The Last Responder”
Mark Murrmann

2020

ASME National Magazine Award (Social Media), Finalist
Mother Jones

ASME National Magazine Award, Finalist
“Marshals’ Lawlessness”
Seth Freed Wessler

Webby Award, Winner
“Behind the Lines in Syria”
Shane Bauer

Webby Award, Winner
“Disinformation”
Stephanie Mencimer

Telly Award (Social Video), Silver Winner
“The Moment for Mother Jones”
Jamilah King

Telly Award (Online Series), Silver Winner
“Behind the Lines in Syria”
Shane Bauer

Telly Award (Social Video Series), Silver Winner
“Disinformation”
Stephane Mencimer

SPJ Sigma Delta Chi Award (Magazine Reporting), Winner
“Marshals’ Lawlessness”
Seth Freed Wessler

Livingston Awards for Young Journalists, Finalist
Julia Lurie

Society of Publication Designers, Winner
“Moira’s Choice”
Melinda Wenner Moyer

Deadline Club Award (Radio or Audio Investigative Reporting), Winner
“Marshall’s Lawlessness”
Seth Freed Wessler

AAJA Audio Journalism Award (General Excellence), Winner
“Building a Wall Out of Red Tape”
Sinduja Rangarajan

SPJ Nothern California Excellence in Journalism Award (Features Journalism), Winner
“When Choice is 221 Miles Away: The Nightmare of Getting an Abortion in the South”
Becca Andrews

2019

SPJ Northern California Excellence in Journalism Awards (Explanatory Journalism),
Winner
Opioids Reporting
Julia Lurie

Society of Publication Designers (News Documentary), Finalist
Mother Jones

Society of Publication Designers (Animated Content), Finalist
Mother Jones

LA Press Club (Animation), Finalist
“Down the Line”
Al Kamalizad, Julia Lurie

I.F Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence, Winner
Monika Bauerlein, Clara Jeffery

Livingston Awards for Young Journalists, Finalist
Julia Lurie

Telly Awards (Social Video Series), Silver Winner
Immigration Video Reporting
Noah Lanard

Telly Awards (Social Video Series), Winner
March for Our Lives Video Reporting
Bryan Schatz

Telly Awards, Bronze Winner
Don Blankenship video
Tim Murphy

Exceptional Merit in Media from the National Women’s Political Caucus, Winner
Iowa Just Gutted Planned Parenthood and the Results for Women are Brutal
Hannah Levintova

Institute for Nonprofit News’ Best of 2019
“Hooked”
Julia Lurie

Newswomen’s Club of New York Front Page Award (News Podcast), Winner
“El Paso’s Nightmare is America’s New Normal”
Jamilah King

2018

SPJ Northern California Excellence in Journalism Award (Investigative Reporting), Winner
“Undercover With a Border Militia”
Shane Bauer

ASME National Magazine Award (Social Media), Finalist
Mother Jones

Education Writers Association, Finalist
“Heavens to Betsy”
Kristina Rizga

John Bartlow Martin Award, Finalist
“Rigged”
Ari Berman

National Headline Awards, Finalist
“My Daughter Was Murdered in a Mass Shooting. Then I Was Ordered to Pay Her Killer’s Gun Dealer.”
Sandy Phillips With Abigail Pesta

American Illustration
“Heavens to Betsy” illustration
Tim O’Brien

South Asian Journalists Association Awards, Winner
“Inside the Growing Guest Worker Program Trapping Indian Students in Virtual Servitude”
Nikhil Swaminathan

2017

News and Documentary Emmy Awards (Outstanding New Approaches: Current News), Nominee
“My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard”
Kevin Sullivan, Michael Schiller, James West, Cheryl Devall, Dave Gilson, Ike Sriskandarajah, Ivylise Simones, Jim Briggs, Shane Bauer, Al Letson

SEAL Environmental Journalism Awards, Winner
Rebecca Leber

Society of Publication Designers (Feature Video: News/Documentary)
“My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard”
James West and Ivylise Simones

Maggie Awards (Overall Magazine Category), Winner
Mother Jones

National Magazine Award (Magazine of the Year), Winner
Mother Jones

National Magazine Award (Best Reporting), Winner
“My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard”
Shane Bauer

National Magazine Award (General Excellence), Finalist
Mother Jones

American Psychoanalytic Award for Excellence in Journalism
“Inside the Race to Stop the Next Mass Shooter” and related coverage
Mark Follman

John Jay/Harry Frank Guggenheim Excellence in Criminal Justice Reporting Award
“My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard”
Shane Bauer

Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, Winner
“My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard”
Shane Bauer

GLAAD Media Award, Finalist
“The Methodist Church May Split Over LGBT Issues. Meet the Lesbian Bishop Caught in the Middle.”
Becca Andrews

Anthony Shadid Award for Journalism Ethics, Finalist
“My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard”
Shane Bauer

Ancil Payne Award for Ethics in Journalism, Finalist
“My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard”
Shane Bauer