journalist and author, United States.
Molly Ivins (1944-2007) began her career in 1964 at The Houston Chronicle before moving in 1967 to the Minneapolis Tribune, where she became the first woman police reporter in Minneapolis. In 1970, she became co-editor of The Texas Observer. In 1976, Ivins joined The New York Times as a political reporter. In 1977, The Times named Ivins its Rocky Mountain bureau chief. During this time, Ivins covered nine mountain states on her own. In 1982, Ivins returned to Texas and became a columnist for the Dallas Times-Herald, until it closed in 1991. She then moved to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where she was a political columnist for nine years.
Her freelance work has appeared in magazines such as Esquire, Harper’s, the Atlantic Monthly, Nation, Progressive and Mother Jones. Ivins also does commentary for National Public Radio and NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and has appeared as a weekly commentator on CBS’ 60 Minutes. She has also written about press issues for the ACLU and journalism reviews.
Ivins is also a best-selling author. She has published six books: Molly Ivins Can’t Say That, Can She? (Random House, 1991); Nothin’ But Good Times Ahead, (Random House, 1993); You Got to Dance with Them What Brung You: Politics in the Clinton Years, (Random House, 1998); Shrub: The Short But Happy Political Life of George W. Bush, (Random House, 2000); Bushwhacked: Life in George W. Bush’s America, (Random House, 2003) and Who Let the Dogs In? Incredible Political Animals I Have Known, (Random House, 2004).
Ivins has received numerous awards for her work, including the 2003 Ivan Allen, Jr. Prize for Progress and Service, the 2003 Eugene V. Debs Award in the field of journalism and the award for print journalism from the Reporters’ Committee for Freedom of the Press in 2005. She has also been a three-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and served on the Pulitzer Prize jury in 1992.
Ivins is active in Amnesty International’s Journalism Network and the American Civil Liberties Union. She has also served on the board of the National News Council. In 2001 she was elected to the National Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Molly Ivins is the 13th IWMF Lifetime Achievement Award winner from the United States, followed by Edith Lederer (2008). Previous U.S. winners include: Belva Davis (2004), Mary McGrory (2002), Colleen “Koky” Dishon (2001), Flora Lewis (2000), Peggy Peterman (1999), Bonnie Angelo (1998), Nancy Woodhull (1997), Meg Greenfield (1996), Helen Thomas (1995), Katharine Graham (1994), Nan Robertson (1993) and Barbara Walters (1992).
IWMF Awards
- Lifetime Achievement Award Awardee, 2005