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Lucian Perkins received the Pulitzer Prize in 1995 for explanatory journalism while a photojournalist at The Washington Post. He was awarded the prize for his series of photographs documenting a woman recovering from drug addiction and the three generations of her family who had also turned to drug abuse. The project was a four-year effort.
He is a native Texan and graduate of the University of Texas. In a workshop and presentation appearance at UT, Perkins said he began his photojournalism career at the Cactus yearbook and The Daily Texan. He also credits a UT photojournalism class with directing him to the field. Although he graduated with a degree in biology in 1976, he became interested in photography after taking a photojournalism class when he returned to UT to obtain his teaching certificate.
Perkins joined The Washington Post in 1979 when he was hired as an intern.
Perkins also won the Photographer of the Year Award from the National Press Photographer's Association in 1994 and was named winner of the World Press Photo of the Year in 1995 for a photograph of a small boy leaving war-torn Chechnya, a region of Russia.
Sources: Martin Weil, "Two Washington Post photographers honored: Perkins wins World Press Photo of the Year; Guzy wins top White House Association Award," The Washington Post, February 18, 1996, A6. The Daily Texan, "Shots in the dark: Former Texan photographers win Pulitzer," The Daily Texan, April 19, 1995.