[Edit]

1970: Ada Louise Huxtable, New York Times, for distinguished criticism during 1969.

1971: Harold C. Schonberg, New York Times, for his music criticism during 1970.

1972: Frank Peters Jr., St. Louis Post-Dispatch, for his music criticism during 1971.

1973: Ronald Powers, Chicago Sun-Times, for his critical writing about television during 1972.

1974: Emily Genauer, Newsday, for her critical writing about art and artists.

1975: Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times, for his film criticism during 1974.

1976: Alan M. Kriegsman, Washington Post, for his critical writing about dance during 1975.

1977: William McPherson, Washington Post, for his contribution to "Book World."

1978: Walter Kerr, New York Times, for articles on the theater in 1977 and throughout his long career.

1979: Paul Gapp, Chicago Tribune, architecture

1980: William A. Henry III, Boston Globe, for critical writing about television.

1981: Jonathan Yardley, Washington Star, for his book reviews.

1982: Martin Bernheimer, Los Angeles Times, for classical music criticism.

1983: Manuela Hoelterhoff, Wall Street Journal, for her wide-ranging criticism on the arts and other subjects.

1984: Paul Goldberger, New York Times, for architectural criticism.

1985: Howard Rosenberg, Los Angeles Times, for his television criticism.

1986: Donal Henehan, New York Times, for his music criticism.

1987: Richard Eder, Los Angeles Times, for his book reviews.

1988: Tom Shales, Washington Post, for his television criticism.

1989: Michael Skube, The News & Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina), for his writing about books and other literary topics.

1990: Allan Temko, San Francisco Chronicle, for his architecture criticism.

1991: David Shaw, Los Angeles Times, for his critiques of the way in which the media, including his own paper, reported the McMartin Pre-School child molestation case.

1992: no award given

1993: Michael Dirda, Washington Post, for his book reviews.

1994: Lloyd Schwartz, Boston Phoenix, for his skillful and resonant classical music criticism.

1995: Margo Jefferson, New York Times, for her book reviews and other cultural criticism.

1996: Robert Campbell, Boston Globe, for his knowledgeable writing on architecture.

1997: Tim Page (music critic), Washington Post, for his lucid and illuminating music criticism.

1998: Michiko Kakutani, New York Times, for her passionate, intelligent writing on books and contemporary literature.

1999: Blair Kamin, Chicago Tribune, for his lucid coverage of city architecture, including an influential series supporting the development of Chicago's lakefront area.

2000: Henry Allen, Washington Post, for his fresh and authoritative writing on photography.

2001: Gail Caldwell, Boston Globe, for her insightful observations on contemporary life and literature.

2002: Justin Davidson, Newsday, for his crisp coverage of classical music that captures its essence.

2003: Stephen Hunter, Washington Post, for his authoritative film criticism that is both intellectually rewarding and a pleasure to read.

2004: Dan Neil, Los Angeles Times, for his one-of-a-kind reviews of automobiles, blending technical expertise with offbeat humor and astute cultural observations.

2005: Joe Morgenstern of Wall Street Journal, for his reviews that elucidated the strengths and weaknesses of film with rare insight, authority and wit.

2006: Robin Givhan of Washington Post, for her witty, closely observed essays that transform fashion criticism into cultural criticism.