Top audio publisher gives voice to three of four winners in the Books category

Landover, MD, June 17, 2021—RBmedia, the largest audiobook producer in the world, today announced that its audiobooks represent three-quarters of the titles awarded the prestigious 2021 Pulitzer Prize for books. “Franchise” by Marcia Chatelain won the 2021 Pulitzer for History, “The Dead are Arising” by Les Payne and Tamara Payne won for Biography, and “Wilmington’s Lie” by David Zucchino won for General Nonfiction.

2021 Pulitzer Prize Winner, History

From civil rights to Ferguson, Maria Chatelain’s “Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America,” produced by RBmedia publishing brand HighBridge Audio, reveals the untold history of how fast food became one of the greatest generators of black wealth in America. In Franchise, acclaimed historian Chatelain uncovers a surprising history of cooperation among fast food companies, black capitalists, and civil rights leaders, who believed they found an economic answer to the problem of racial inequality.

2021 Pulitzer Prize Winner, Biography

Produced by RBmedia’s flagship publishing brand, Recorded Books, “The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X,” is a riveting work that affirms the centrality of Malcolm X to the African American freedom struggle. In 1990, Les Payne, the renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist, embarked on a nearly 30-year-long quest to interview anyone he could find who had actually known Malcolm X. His goal was ambitious: to transform what would become dozens of interviews into an unprecedented portrait of Malcolm X, one that would separate fact from fiction.

2021 Pulitzer Prize Winner, General Nonfiction

Also produced by Recorded Books, “Wilmington’s Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy,” provides a searing account of the Wilmington riot and coup of 1898, an extraordinary event unknown to most Americans. Pulitzer Prize winner David Zucchino uses contemporary newspaper accounts, diaries, letters, and official communications to create a gripping and compelling narrative that weaves together individual stories of hate and fear and brutality. This is a dramatic and definitive account of a remarkable but forgotten chapter of American history.

“The Pulitzer Prize is the world’s most prestigious and coveted award for literary achievement. Among the thousands of entries submitted, only four books took home the ultimate prize in 2021,” said Troy Juliar, Chief Content Officer for RBmedia. “RBmedia is privileged to be the audiobook producer for three of the four award-winning titles. All three are timely and definitive works that focus on Black history and bring to light the ongoing struggle for racial justice in our country.”

The 105^th class of Pulitzer Prize winners in Journalism, Books, Drama, and Music were announced on Friday, June 11. RBmedia’s Pulitzer Prize-winning audiobooks are available for download on Audible, iTunes, Google Play, Audiobooks.com, and wherever digital audiobooks are sold.

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About RBmedia

RBmedia is the largest audiobook producer in the world. With more than 50,000 exclusive titles, our audiobooks continually dominate key literary awards and bestseller lists. The company’s powerful digital retail and library distribution network reaches millions of listeners around the globe—at home, in the car, and everywhere their mobile devices go. Our titles are available on leading audio platforms, including Audible, iTunes, Google Play, Audiobooks.com, OverDrive, Hoopla, and many more. RBmedia is owned by KKR, a leading global investment firm. Find out more at rbmediaglobal.com.