The Texas Observer

History

The Observer was founded by Frankie Randolph and Ronnie Dugger in Austin in 1954 to address topics often ignored by daily newspapers in the state, such as those affecting working people and concerning class and racism.

According to Texas Public Radio (TPR), the early Observer "represented the liberal wing of the once-conservative Democratic Party" that was dominant in Texas. During this period, the Observer was critical of conservative or moderate Texas Democrats, including Lyndon B. Johnson during his Senate tenure and Governors Allan Shivers and John Connally. In the 1970s, Molly Ivins served as the Observer's co-editor and a political reporter.

In 2010, the Observer published an exposé on then-Governor Rick Perry's "Enterprise Fund". The report found that 20 recipients of the 55 grants available through the fund were given to Perry campaign contributors or contributors to the Republican Governors Association (RGA) after he became chairman.

In March 2023, the board of the Observer's parent organization, the nonprofit Texas Democracy Foundation, voted to close the publication and lay off its 17 employees, including 13 journalists. A crowdfunding campaign to save the publication raised over $300,000 in two days, spread mostly through word of mouth via Mastodon. The campaign was successful.

Notable staff and contributors

Notable Observer staff and contributors, past and present:

• Jake Bernstein
• Billy Lee Brammer
• Minnie Fisher Cunningham
• J. Frank Dobie
• Ronnie Dugger
• John Henry Faulk
• James K. Galbraith
• Dagoberto Gilb
• Lawrence Goodwyn
• Jim Hightower
• Molly Ivins
• Larry L. King
• Maury Maverick Jr.
• Larry McMurtry
• Willie Morris
• Americo Paredes
• Alan Pogue
• Eileen Welsome

References

References

1. (1 July 2001). "Liberalism Lives!". Texas Monthly.
2. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20171004034802/https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/pub78Search.do?ein1=74-2619883&names=Texas+Democracy+Foundation&city=&state=TX&country=US&deductibility=all&dispatchMethod=searchCharities&submitName=Search The Texas Democracy Foundation]". ''Exempt Organization Search''. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
3. "[http://www.texasobserver.org/contact Contact]" {{webarchive. link. (November 8, 2016 . ''The Texas Observer''. Retrieved on May 6, 2010.)
4. Chan, Sewell. (2023-03-29). "Texas Observer will continue publishing after staff crowdfunds more than $300,000".
5. "About Us". The Texas Observer.
6. Moyers, Bill. (2005-11-21). "The Texas Observer at 50".
7. Chan, Sewell. (2023-03-27). "Texas Observer, legendary crusading liberal magazine, is closing and laying off its staff".
8. (2009). "Molly Ivins : a rebel life". New York : PublicAffairs.
9. MacGillis, Alec. (2017-01-03). "Rick Perry's Texas Giveaways".
10. Liebelson, Dana. (2013-03-20). "Rick Perry's $487 Million Corporate Slush Fund Doesn't Need Your Stinkin' Audit".
11. (27 March 2023). "Texas Observer, legendary crusading liberal magazine, is closing and laying off its staff". [[The Texas Tribune]].
12. Wong, Julia Carrie. (2023-03-29). "Texas Observer journalists raise $270,000 in bid to save publication". [[The Guardian]].
13. (2023-03-29). "We Did It, Y'all! Texas Observer Will Remain Open!".
14. "Jake Bernstein".
15. (26 August 2019). "Molly Ivins".
16. "Aug 12, 1960 Issue {{!}} Texas Observer Print Archives".