Shannon Shaw Duty selected as winner of IJA-Medill Milestone Achievement Award

Osage News Editor honored for ‘legendary’ body of work

EVANSTON, ILL. -- Medill and the Indigenous Journalists Association (IJA) have selected Shannon Shaw Duty (Osage Nation) as the recipient of the 2026 IJA-Medill Milestone Achievement Award.

“Shannon’s body of work and commitment to Indigenous storytelling has been crucial in elevating the Osage Nation,” said Medill Dean Charles Whitaker. “Medill is honored to recognize her with this award, and I hope that it highlights the critical role that Indigenous journalists play in reporting local news.”

The IJA-Medill Milestone Achievement Award honors IJA’s mission and the exemplary people who have led the way with outstanding work and contributions to the field of journalism. The award recognizes important work by journalists in the past and encourages the new generation of Indigenous journalists to achieve career excellence.

“The distinguished awards committee described Shannon’s impact as ‘legendary’ above all else as her work has been proven to be pivotal for not just the Osage News, but the Osage Nation as a whole,” said IJA president Sunnie Clahchischiligi. “Shannon is a leader whose work stretches beyond the borders of tribal media and has made a lasting impact on Indigenous journalism and communities.”

Shaw Duty was nominated for the award by the Osage News Editorial Board, who cited her tireless dedication to leading the independent tribal media outlet since 2007.

Her reporting has appeared in ICT, The Washington Post, the Center for Public Integrity, NPR, Associated Press, Tulsa World and more.

She is credited as a co-author of “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Making of the Movie, A Martin Scorsese Picture” and a co-author of Osage News’ “The Making of Killers of the Flower Moon,” which won a 2026 Oklahoma Book Award.

She has served on several local and national boards during her career, including the Society of Professional Journalists’ Freedom of Information Committee; LION Publishers; and the Indigenous Journalists Association. She was also named to The Journal Record’s 2026 Power List for Native American Leaders in Oklahoma.

Medill and IJA will be collaborating in 2027 on a first-of-its-kind Tribal News Accelerator. In this partnership, Medill will work with IJA and six of its members to study market and consumer dynamics that will lead to better journalism outcomes in indigenous communities in various parts of the United States and Canada.