Gwen Ifill, renowned journalist and author, dies at 61

Gwen Ifill, one of the nation's most prominent black journalists, died yesterday after a battle with cancer. she was 61.

Ifill was a longtime newscaster at PBS who previously worked at NBC News.

During her time as host of PBS' "Washington Week" and co-host of "NewsHour," she covered seven presidential campaigns and moderated the vice presidential debates in 2004 and 2008. She also authored  "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama."

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