There are few individuals in the world to whom one can point and say with certainty that they changed their field of work. Most people enter a profession and make a living, some even excel in their field, yet few revolutionize it. Gwen Ifill, however, undoubtedly revolutionized journalism. She singlehandedly fought systemic discrimination in the workplace—something to which she had been subjected in response to both her gender and her race—shattering the glass ceiling time and time again, paving the way for aspiring journalists who are women and people of color.
Gwen Ifill’s career was defined by history-making accomplishments. In 1999, she became the first black woman to host a national political talk show on television. Five years later, she became the first black woman to moderate a vice-presidential debate. In 2013, Ifill became part of the first female anchor team in broadcast journalism. Just this year, Ifill again made history when she was half of the first all-female team to moderate a Democratic primary debate.
Born in 1955 in Queens, Ifill first became involved in journalism during her college years at Simmons College in Boston. Ifill began by interning at the Boston Herald-American, a job that was particularly difficult. “They didn’t know what a college-educated black woman was and they didn’t know how to treat me,” she told the Washington Post years later. Ifill experienced her first major roadblock when she found a note on her desk in the newsroom that said “N***** go home.” Instead of being discouraged by this act of racism, Ifill chose to work harder and focus on her reporting skills, eventually being hired by the paper when she graduated college in 1977.
In 1984, Ifill moved to work to Maryland where she joined the Baltimore Evening Sun team. Just three years later she was hired by the Washington Post. In 1991, Ifill hit another obstacle in her career when she requested to cover Capitol Hill, but was told by editors that she was not yet qualified. Confident in her journalistic abilities, Ifill switched to The New York Times where she became the paper’s White House correspondent. While at The Times covering the early days of Bill Clinton’s presidency, Ifill gained a reputation for a reporting style that eloquently and accurately reflected the feelings and concerns of the American people. Finally, in 1994, Ifill moved again, this time to broadcast journalism and NBC, where she was assigned to Capitol Hill.
Ifill’s next career move happened when she took over as moderator of PBS’s Washington Week in Review in 1999, becoming the first black woman to host a national political talk show. Part of what influenced Ifill to move to PBS was the network’s notoriously non-argumentative style of discussing politics. “Shouting is a good way to foment conflict, but it’s not the best way to inform,” Ifill said at the time, explaining her decision. Ifill remained at PBS until her death, where she became known for her accuracy in reporting, respect for all opinions, and her overall commitment to extensive research.
Ifill’s dedication to closely-navigated research was on display when she again made history in 2004 as the first black woman to moderate a vice-presidential debate. Moderating the debate between Vice President Dick Cheney and Democratic vice-presidential nominee John Edwards, Ifill asked the candidates about the impact of the AIDS epidemic on black women, an issue that was neglected by both the media and the government. This question stumped both candidates and cemented Ifill’s reputation as a well-researched reporter not afraid to ask tough questions.
Ifill again moderated the vice-presidential debate in 2008, between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin, but this time encountering intense controversy and scrutiny. At the time, Ifill had written her book, The Breakthrough: Politics And Race In The Age Of Obama, which was scheduled to be released on Inauguration Day the following year. The book, which contained a chapter about then-Senator Barack Obama led many to believe that she should be disqualified as a moderator because she could not remain impartial. Ifill, however, dismissed the critique. “I’ve got a pretty long track record covering politics and news, so I’m not particularly worried that one day blog chatter is going to destroy my reputation,” Ifill remarked at the time. “The proof is in the pudding. They can watch the debate tomorrow night and make their own decisions about whether or not I’ve done my job.” Although she brushed off the comments, in an interview with the Washington Post a month before the debate, Ifill did not give up the opportunity to point out the blatant racism that was involved in the accusations against her. “No one’s ever assumed a white reporter can’t cover a white candidate,” she stated. Ultimately, Ifill proved her critics wrong by delivering what was widely regarded as an unbiased and skilled performance as moderator.
In 2013, Ifill was named as co-anchor of PBS’ News Hour along with Judy Woodruff, becoming one half of the first all-female anchor team on television. This year, while quietly battling the cancer, the cause of her eventual death, Ifill again made history. This time, as half of the first all-female team to moderate a Democratic primary debate, Ifill, along with Woodruff, moderated a debate in February between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.
Ifill’s landmark accomplishments as a journalist are seminal moments for women and people of color in journalism. However, her legacy expands beyond these singular moments. What Ifill will be remembered for is not just that she pushed her way through the many obstacles to her success, but that she carried a younger generation of journalists along with her. “There is a professional ladder in this business, but, as a journalist of color, what she impressed upon me, as a friend and a mentor, is that it’s not just enough to climb that ladder,” PBS reporter, Hari Sreenivasan remarked. Sreenivasan continued, “It’s about making sure that you pull someone else up, and then they pull someone else up along the way.”
“Gwen was a huge fan of the show ‘Hamilton,’” Sara Just, executive producer of News Hour remembered. “And there’s a line from ‘Hamilton’ that I can’t stop thinking about in the days since her death. It says, ‘Legacy, what is a legacy? It is planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.’ There’s a huge, gaping hole in our newsroom and in the industry of journalism in general without Gwen. She was one of a kind. But she also planted a lot of seeds. She was a mentor, a guide, a friend to a whole slew of younger journalists. She made time in her busy schedule to offer advice, be a sounding board, a cheerleader, an ally.”
It is for this—the seeds that she planted for a new generation of journalists—that Gwen Ifill’s presence will be profoundly missed and her life greatly celebrated.