Molly Ivins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Molly Ivins
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| Born | August 30, 1944 Monterey, California, U.S. |
| Died | January 31, 2007 (aged 62) Austin, Texas, U.S. |
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| Education | Smith College Columbia Graduate School of Journalism |
| Period | 1967–2007 |
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Mary Tyler "Molly" Ivins (August 30, 1944 – January 31, 2007) was an American newspaper writer. She was known for her funny and sharp comments about politics. Molly was also an author and a political expert.
She was born in California but grew up in Texas. Molly went to Smith College and later to Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She started her writing career at the Minneapolis Tribune. There, she became the first woman reporter to cover police news. Molly then worked for The Texas Observer and The New York Times. Later, she wrote columns for the Dallas Times Herald and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Her columns were printed in hundreds of newspapers across the country.
A book about Molly Ivins, called Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life, was written in 2010.
Contents
Molly Ivins' Early Life and Education
Molly Ivins was born in Monterey, California. She grew up in Houston, Texas. Her father, James Ivins, worked in the oil and gas business. The family lived in a nice part of Houston called River Oaks.
Molly went to St. John's School and finished in 1962. In high school, she was very active. She worked on the yearbook staff. She also had her first articles published in The Review. This was the school's student newspaper. Molly became a co-editor for the arts and culture part of the paper. She also loved theater and was part of the drama club.
After high school, Molly started at Scripps College in 1962. But she was not happy there. So, she moved to Smith College in 1963. She spent a year studying in Paris at the Institute of Political Science. In 1966, she earned her history degree. In 1967, she got a master's degree from Columbia University's journalism school.
Molly Ivins' Journalism Career
While at Smith College, Molly worked three summers at the Houston Chronicle. She worked in the complaint department. She also reported on local city life. After college, she got a job at the Minneapolis Tribune. There, she wrote about different groups of people.
In 1970, Molly moved to Austin, Texas. She started working for The Texas Observer. She wrote about the Texas Legislature, which is where laws are made in Texas. She became friends with many important people. Molly also gained attention across the country. She wrote for The New York Times and The Washington Post.
The New York Times hired her in 1976. They wanted her writing to be more lively. She worked there until 1982. Molly became the head of their Rocky Mountain office. She covered nine western states. She also wrote the newspaper story about Elvis Presley's death in 1977.
Molly wrote for the Dallas Times Herald for ten years. She was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize twice. This is a very important award for journalists. In 1991, her book Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? became a bestseller. That same year, the Times Herald newspaper closed. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram quickly hired Molly. She wrote columns for them from 1992 to 2001. After that, she became an independent writer. Her columns were printed in almost 400 newspapers nationwide.
Molly Ivins' Health Challenges
In 1999, Molly Ivins was diagnosed with a type of inflammatory breast cancer. The cancer came back in 2003 and again in 2005. In 2006, she said she was getting chemotherapy treatment again. She took a break from writing her column in December 2006 for more treatment. She wrote two columns in January 2007. But she went back to the hospital on January 26 for more care.
Molly Ivins' Death and Legacy
Molly Ivins passed away at her home in Austin, Texas, on January 31, 2007. She was 62 years old.
After she died, George W. Bush spoke about her. He was often a target of her jokes. He said he respected her strong beliefs and her love for words. He added that her quick wit would be missed.
From August to October 2012, actress Kathleen Turner played Molly Ivins in a play. It was called Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins. A movie about Molly Ivins, called "Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins," was also made.
Molly Ivins' Beliefs and Writing Style
Molly Ivins wrote from a populist point of view. This means she often supported the common people against the powerful. She called herself a populist. Sometimes, she even called herself a left-libertarian.
Molly filled her columns with colorful words. This helped her show the "feel" of Texas. She often used irony and satirical humor. This means she used humor to make a very serious point. When she was upset by something public officials did, she would write about it in a funny way. She loved telling stories about the Texas Legislature. She called it "The Lege." She said it was one of the funniest and most interesting government groups.
In 2003, she created the phrase "Great Liberal Backlash of 2003." She was also a strong critic of the 2003 Iraq War. She is known for giving George W. Bush the nicknames "Shrub" and "Dubya." Molly supported affirmative action. This means she believed in helping groups who had faced unfair treatment. She criticized President Bush for speaking against this idea.
Molly Ivins' Awards and Honors
Molly Ivins received many awards for her journalism:
- William Allen White Award from the University of Kansas (2001)
- Smith Medal from Smith College (2001)
- Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2001)
- Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Progress and Service (2003)
- Pringle Prize for Washington Journalism from Columbia University (2003)
- Eugene V. Debs Award in journalism (2003)
- David Brower Award for journalism from the Sierra Club (2004)
- David Nyhan Prize for Political Journalism from Harvard University (2006)
- The Molly National Journalism Prize from the Texas Democracy Foundation (2006)
- Otis Social Justice Award from Wheaton College, MA (2004)
Molly was also proud of two other honors. The police in Minneapolis named their mascot pig after her. Also, she was banned from the Texas A&M campus.
