| Creator | Gwen Ifill |
| Title | Gwen Ifill Papers |
| Dates | 1970-2016 |
| Identification | MS260 |
| Quantity | 21 linear feet |
| Collection Abstract | The Gwen Ifill Papers primarily center on Gwen Ifill's journalistic achievements between 1970 and 2016. Included within the collection are: articles by and about Ifill, spanning from her time writing at Simmons College until her death in 2016; notes, drafts, and articles cited in footnotes of The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama; and research and notes preparing for the 2008 vice-presidential debate. The collection also houses brochures, programs, and pamphlets from speaking events, photographs, press passes, honorary degrees, and awards. Also included within the collection are videos, primarily copies of HistoryMaker events Ifill moderated,and Ifill's commencement robes and selected blazers. The Gwen Ifill Papers are organized into seven series: Publications & Research by Gwen Ifill, Publications & Events including Gwen Ifill, correspondence, Photographs, Audio-Visual Material, Cloth, and Memorabilia. |
| Historical Abstract | Gwen Ifill was born on September 29, 1955, and worked as a journalist, television news correspondent, and news program moderator. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications from Simmons College in 1977, and went to work at the Boston Herald-American as a reporter after her graduation. Interested in politics,she took a position in Baltimore for the Evening Sun, where she hosted her first news show for the local television station. Ifill later took posts reporting for The Washington Post and The New York Times, before becoming a congressional correspondent for NBC News in 1994. In 1999, PBS hired Ifill, where she worked on both NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, as a senior correspondent, and Washington Week , where she served as moderator and managing editor. In 2004, Gwen Ifill became the first African-American woman to moderate a vice-presidential debate, and she moderated the 2008 vice-presidential debate as well. Her book The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama was published in 2009. In 2013, Ifill and Judy Woodruff became co-anchors and co-managing editors of NewsHour , becoming the first female team to anchor a network news program. Over the course of her career, Gwen Ifill was awarded over 35 honorary degrees. She died of cancer on November 2016, at the age of 61. |
| Language | Material in English |
| Location | Materials may be offsite. Please contact the Simmons University Archives staff for details. |
The collection is open to researchers. Consult the University Archivist for a further explanation.
Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the University Archivist.
[Identification of item], Gwen Ifill Papers, 1970-2016, Simmons University Archives, Boston, MA, USA.
Records were transferred to the Simmons University Archives from the estate of Gwen Ifill by her brother, Roberto Ifill, in 2017. The transfer and terms of agreement was negotiated by Roberto Ifill by the Office of the President of Simmons University.
Processed by Lauren Loftis, 2018.
Encoded by Lauren Loftis, 2019.
Gwen Ifill was born on September 29, 1955, and worked as a journalist, television news correspondent, and news program moderator. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications from Simmons College in 1977, and went to work at the Boston Herald-American as a reporter after her graduation. Interested in politics, she took a position in Baltimore for the Evening Sun, where she hosted her first news show for the local television station. Ifill later took posts reporting for The Washington Post and The New York Times, before becoming a congressional correspondent for NBC News in 1994. In 1999, PBS hired Ifill, where she worked on both NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, as a senior correspondent, and Washington Week, where she served as moderator and managing editor. In 2004, Gwen Ifill became the first African-American women to moderate a vice-presidential debate, and she moderated the 2008 vice-presidential debate as well. Her book The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama was published in 2009. In 2013, Ifill and Judy Woodruff became co-anchors and co-managing editors of NewsHour, becoming the first female team to anchor a network news program. Over the course of her career, Gwen Ifill was awarded over 35 honorary degrees. She died of cancer on November 14, 2016 at the age of 61.
The Gwen Ifill Papers primarily center on Gwen Ifill's journalistic achievements between 1970 and 2016. Included within the collection are: articles by and about Ifill, spanning from her time writing at Simmons College until her death in 2016; notes, drafts, and articles cited in footnotes of The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama; and research and notes preparing for the 2008 vice-presidential debate. The collection also houses brochures, programs, and pamphlets from speaking events, photographs, press passes, honorary degrees, and awards. Also included within the collection are videos, primarily copies of HistoryMaker events Ifill moderated,and Ifill's commencement robes and selected blazers. The Gwen Ifill Papers are organized into seven series: Publications & Research by Gwen Ifill, Publications & Events including Gwen Ifill, correspondence, Photographs, Audio-Visual Material, Cloth, and Memorabilia
These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.
The Gwen Ifill Papers are organized into seven series: Publications & Research by Gwen Ifill, Publications & Events including Gwen Ifill, Correspondence, Photographs, Audio-Visual Material, Cloth, and Memorabilia.
Series I consists of publications & research conducted by Gwen Ifill. The series is further divided into the following subseries: Articles & Essays; Book Materials; Commencement Addresses; HistoryMakers Interviews; and Vice-Presidential Debate Preparations.
Though the series includes materials spanning from 1978 through 2015, the bulk of the series consists of newspaper articles dating between 1978 and 1994, highlighting her journalism career at The Boston-American Herald, The Baltimore Evening Sun, and the Washington Post. Both originals and copies of the newspaper articles are included. The materials on Ifill's book, The Breakthrough, include research, copies of articles cited in footnotes, and chapter, introduction, and conclusion drafts. This series also includes information relating to the HistoryMakers, an organization devoted to serving and sharing the life stories of African Americans and creating a more inclusive understanding of American history, and the interviews that Ifill conducted at HistoryMakers events. Though Ifill hosted both the 2004 and 2008 vice-presidential debates, the materials in this series are limited to only the 2008 debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden.
This series is arranged chronologically and alphabetically therein. A notebook including notes, research, and questions for the 2008 vice-presidential debate is housed in a permanent exhibit honoring Gwen Ifill in the Simmons University Main College Building.
Box 1
Box 2
Series II consists of publications, events, and awards associated with Gwen Ifill. The series is divided into the following subseries: Articles about Gwen Ifill; House of Cards Material; Programs, Awards, & Events; Honorary Degrees; Press Passes & Business Cards; and High School & College Publications.
Though the series includes materials spanning from 1970 through 2016, the bulk of the material consists of articles between 1990 and 2013, focusing primarily on her television career at NBC and PBS. Both originals and copies of the articles are included. Of note within this series are programs relating to her feature on House of Cards. Ifill's press passes to political rallies and events span from the early 1980s through 2015.
Box 2
Box 3
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Box 19
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Box 3
Series III consists of correspondence written to Gwen Ifill throughout her career. A relatively small series, these materials primarily consist of well wishes, most notably from President William Clinton and President Barack Obama, as well as a long letter sent to Ifill concerning a PBS viewer's opinions and thoughts on the United States Government.
Box 3
Series IV consists of approximately 700 photographs of Gwen Ifill throughout her academic and journalistic career. Included are photographs of Ifill at various HistoryMakers events, a photograph from Hilary and Chelsea Clinton's trip to Harare and Victoria Falls (March 21-24, 1997), and a photograph of Ifill receiving her 1977 Simmons College diploma from College President William Holmes.
Note that some material is oversized and housed in oversized boxes.
Box 4
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Box 19
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Box 21
Series V contains VHS tapes and DVDs from HistoryMaker events including Gwen Ifill. There are approximately 23 tapes in all, including some duplicates.
Box 6
Series VI includes clothes worn by Gwen Ifill. Included among the cloth are four blazers that Ifill wore to important events, including the 2004 vice-presidential debate, the 2008 vice-presidential debate, HistoryMakers "An Evening with Gwen Ifill," and her appearnace on House of Cards, a Simmons sweatshirt, and approximately six commencement robes.
Some of the cloth material currently resides in a permanent exhibit honoring Gwen Ifill in the Simmons University Main College Building.
Box 7
Box 8
Box 9
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Box 12
Series VII includes memorabilia associated with Gwen Ifill. This series is primarily comprised of awards, trophies, and plaques awarded to Ifill throughout her career.
Some materials is oversized and housed in oversized boxes, as indicated in the container list.
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Box 19
Box 20
Box 21
