Ronnie Dugger, "Godfather of Journalism in Texas" dead at 95

Austin, Texas

April 16, 1930 – May 27, 2025

Ronnie Dugger was a prolific journalist and activist. As a young man he set aside his dream of writing the next great American novel to launch a crusading progressive journal called the Texas Observer, in 1954. 

In addition to the Observer, Dugger wrote extensively for Harper's Magazine, The Nation, The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, The Progressive, and other publications. 

One early story of note was a 1955 piece on unchecked racism in Texas. After receiving a tip about a killing in an all-Black East Texas town, Dugger rushed to cover the event. While other papers disregarded the story of this purported white-on-black murder, he recognized its gravity. The notoriety of the article led to a trial in which one party confessed and was held accountable, though not fully, due to a sympathetic, all-white jury. 

Dugger’s determination to report on marginalized communities played a crucial role in reshaping Texas journalism and the state’s historical narrative.

In addition to his journalism, Dugger authored political biographies, including The Politician: The Life and Times of Lyndon Johnson, On Reagan, and Dark Star: Hiroshima Reconsidered, about U.S. Air Force pilot Claude Etherly. The truths he uncovered while writing Dark Star profoundly inspired his lifelong advocacy in opposition to nuclear weapons. In his acceptance speech for receiving the George Polk Career Award, he asked: “What, if aimed, are American nuclear bombs aimed at? If exploded on target, how many people will they kill? If we use them either to attack or retaliate, what would that do to our standing in the history and conscience of humanity?”

Perhaps the clearest reflection of his values was his founding of the Alliance for Democracy in 1996. The organization embodied his belief that populism was the key to advancing a more equitable and dignified society. The Alliance for Democracy remains “committed to the equal importance of every person, no matter the person's race, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, politics, or nation of origin.” 

Ronnie Duggar died May 27, 2025, in Austin, Texas. He was 95.