The Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism was first introduced in 1985, and continued under that name until 1997. Since then, it has been known as the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting.

Under the older name, the awards were as follows:

• 1985: Jon Franklin , Baltimore Evening Sun , for his seven-part series "The Mind Fixers," about the new science of molecular psychiatry.
• 1986: Staff of the New York Times, for a six-part comprehensive series on the Strategic Defense Initiative, which explored the scientific, political and foreign policy issues involved in "Star Wars."
• 1987: Jeff Lyon and Peter Gorner , Chicago Tribune. for their series on the promises of gene therapy, which examined the implications of this revolutionary medical treatment.
• 1988: Daniel Hertzberg and James B. Stewart, Wall Street Journal, for their stories about an investment banker charged with insider trading and the critical day that followed the October 19, 1987, stock market crash.
• 1989: David Hanners , reporter, William Snyder , photographer, and Karen Blessen , artist, Dallas Morning News, for their special report on a 1985 airplane crash, the follow-up investigation, and the implications for air safety.
• 1990: David A. Vise and Steve Coll , Washington Post, for stories scrutinizing the Securities and Exchange Commission and the way it has been affected by the policies of its former chairman, John Shad .
• 1991: Susan C. Faludi, Wall Street Journal, for a report on the leveraged buy-out of Safeway Stores, Inc., that revealed the human costs of high finance.
• 1992: Robert S. Capers and Eric Lipton , Hartford Courant, for a series about the flawed Hubble Space Telescope that illustrated many of the problems plaguing America's space program.
• 1993: Mike Toner , Atlanta Journal-Constitution, for "When Bugs Fight Back ," a series that explored the diminishing effectiveness of antibiotics and pesticides.
• 1994: Ronald Kotulak , Chicago Tribune, for his lucid coverage of current developments in neurological science.
• 1995: Leon Dash , staff writer, and Lucian Perkins , photographer, Washington Post, for their profile of a District of Columbia family's struggle with destructive cycles of poverty, illiteracy, crime and drug abuse.
• 1996: Laurie Garrett , Newsday, Long Island, N.Y., for her courageous reporting from Zaire on the Ebola virus outbreak there. (The winner was entered and nominated in the International Reporting category and was moved by the Pulitzer Prize Board to Explanatory Journalism.)
• 1997: Michael Vitez , reporter, and April Saul and Ron Cortes , photographers of Philadelphia Inquirer, for a series on the choices that confronted critically-ill patients who sought to die with dignity.