Ivins, Molly (1944-)

Molly Tyler Ivins was born in Monterey, California, in 1944. Her father was a military man who served in World War II, her mother coming from an affluent society family on the East Coast. She followed both her mother and grandmother to Smith College, where she graduated in 1966. She went on to Columbia University, earning her master's degree in journalism.

A rebel in her youth, Ivins was active in the 1960s' anti-Vietnam protests and the civil rights movement. Other causes throughout her career include her service as a board member of the National News Council, her writings on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union, and her participation in the Journalism Network of Amnesty International.

Her early career included employment with the Houston Chronicle, where she ...