U Of I Honors Ebert With Lifetime Journalism Award

The late Roger Ebert is the next recipient of the University of Illinois’ award for lifetime achievement in journalism.

The U of I has announced the Urbana native and longtime Chicago Sun-Times film critic will be honored February 11th at a ceremony in Chicago.  The award will be accepted by Ebert’s wife Chaz.  

Ebert, who passed away last April after a long battle with cancer, is also the first U of I alumnus to receive the Illinois Prize, and the sixth recipient overall. 

He became the first film critic to receive a Pulitzer Prize in 1975.

"Roger's accomplishments rank with all those distinguished journalists," said Rich Martin, head of the U of I deparment of journalism, in a press release.  "As the first film crtic to win the Pulitzer Prize for criticism, the only film critic honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the author of more than 20 books, and without question, the greatest and one of the most beloved critics of all time, he is richly deserving of this award."

Prior recipients of the U of I award include NPR legal correspondent Nina Totenberg, author Gay Talese, and longtime ’60 Minutes’ contributor Mike Wallace.