The Texas Observer


The Texas Observer is an American magazine. The Observer is published bimonthly by a 501 nonprofit organization, the Texas Democracy Foundation. Its mission, as declared by founding editor Ronnie Dugger, is to "serve no group or party but ... hew hard to the truth as we find it and the right as we see it". It is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

History

The Observer was founded by Frankie Randolph and 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.
In the 1970s, Molly Ivins—who served as the Observer's co-editor and a political reporter—helped solidify the publication's reputation. Since, it has engaged in major investigative work.
Among other highlights, the Observer broke the story of an allegedly crooked narcotics investigation in Tulia, Texas, that led to front-page coverage in The New York Times and other national news outlets. Tom Coleman, the narcotics investigator in the tiny town, was eventually accused of trumping up drug bust information, mostly aimed at African Americans. Coleman claimed he had made more than 100 undercover drug purchases from 46 different drug dealers. About a dozen of the accused were sentenced, some for up to 90 years before authorities stopped to investigate Coleman's practices, largely due to the Observer's reporting. Coleman was found guilty of one charge of perjury, for which he was sentenced to seven years probation.
The Observer also published a series by Dave Mann that looks at flaws in Texas arson investigations, and in 2015 the publication won both a National Magazine Award and an Emmy for its "" series.

Awards and distinctions

Notable Observer staff and contributors, past and present: