Karen DeCrow

Attorney, author, and activist Karen DeCrow graduated from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism in 1959, and went on to Syracuse University, where she attended the Graduate Program in Communications and then received her JD from the College of Law (1972).  As a lawyer, she has specialized in Constitutional law, gender and age discrimination, and civil liberties. DeCrow became involved with the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1967, serving as a National Board Member from 1968-74 and National President  from 1974-77.  She has written numerous books and articles, and gives lectures around the country.  She received the Service to Society Award from Northwestern in 2002. In February, 2005, she returned to Northwestern to join a panel discussion, "Feminist or Feminazi?," on media coverage of the women's movement. She was inducted into the Medill Hall of Achievement in April, 2007 and into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in March, 2009. In July, 2009, Syracuse University honored her with the George Arents Award in recognition of her lifetime achievement.