April 2017

Colson Whitehead's novel imagining the Underground Railroad as a literal train system won both the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction. Endorsed by Oprah Winfrey for her book club, it reached millions of readers and was later adapted as a critically acclaimed television miniseries by Barry Jenkins.

Russell Westbrook averaged a triple-double for an entire NBA season—42 times in total—surpassing Oscar Robertson's record of 41 triple-doubles in a single season set in 1961-62. Westbrook was named unanimous MVP and became the first player since Robertson to average a triple-double for a full season.

Kendrick Lamar's fourth major album debuted at number one and won the Grammy for Best Rap Album. In 2018 it became the first non-classical and non-jazz album to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music, recognizing its virtuosic storytelling about faith, pride, and Black American life.