Gwen Ifill (September 30, 1955 – November 14, 2016) was an American journalist, television newscaster, and author. She is most prominently recognized for her work as a co‑anchor and later co‑moderator of the PBS NewsHour, as well as for moderating the PBS political round‑table program Washington Week. Ifill was also noted for her contributions to political reporting on network television, including appearances on NBC’s Meet the Press and CBS’s Face the Nation.
Early life and education
Gwendolyn L. Ifill was born in New York City to parents of Barbadian descent. She attended the all‑girls’ Queens College High School and later earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Simmons College (now Simmons University) in Boston, Massachusetts, graduating in 1977. She subsequently obtained a master’s degree in political science from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1981.
Career
Early career
Ifill began her journalism career with local television stations, including WBZ-TV in Boston and later WBAL-TV in Baltimore. She transitioned to national news as a correspondent for The New York Times, covering political events and elections.
Network television
In 1991, Ifill joined NBC News as a political correspondent, later becoming the network’s chief political correspondent. She reported on multiple presidential campaigns and was a regular contributor to programs such as Meet the Press and the NBC Nightly News.
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
In 1999, Ifill joined PBS as a senior correspondent for the NewsHour. In 2006, she was named co‑anchor of the NewsHour alongside Jim Lehrer, becoming the first African‑American woman to host a national nightly news broadcast. After Lehrer's retirement, Ifill continued as co‑anchor with Judy Woodruff until her death. Simultaneously, she served as moderator of Washington Week from 2003 to 2016, succeeding Paul Duke.
Authorship
Ifill authored the biography The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama (2013), which examined the political rise of Barack Obama and the evolving role of African‑American voters.
Awards and honors
Throughout her career, Ifill received numerous accolades, including multiple Emmy Awards, the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism, and the National Association of Black Journalists’ Lifetime Achievement Award. She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2015.
Personal life and death
Ifill was married to architect Thomas Jordan, with whom she had one daughter, Denise Ifill. She was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2015 and continued to work while undergoing treatment. Gwen Ifill died on November 14, 2016, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 61. Her death prompted tributes from political leaders, journalists, and media organizations, highlighting her contributions to journalism and public discourse.