A University of Michigan professor's book about the 1971 Attica prison uprising has won the Pulitzer Prize for history.
Heather Ann Thompson wrote "Blood in the Water: The Attica Uprising of 1971 and its Legacy." She was among Pulitzer winners announced Monday.
Her book examines the events that began on Sept. 9, 1971, when nearly 1,300 prisoners took over the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York to protest years of mistreatment. The work reveals the crimes committed during the uprising and its aftermath.
Her award is for "a distinguished and appropriately documented book on the history of the United States." It includes a $15,000 prize.
Thompson is a professor of history, Afroamerican and African Studies.
University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel says he congratulates her "on this amazing achievement."
