Barbara Ehrenreich was given a "Freethought Heroine" award because of her forthright willingness to identify herself is a "none" in many nationally-circulated columns, and her life-long commitment to promoting rationalism.

She is widely published columnist (TIME, The Guardian, The New York Times Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, The Nation, Ms., Esquire) and author. Her book, Blood Rites: Origin and History of the Passions of War, was termed "fascinating" by Newsweek. Her other books have explored the decade of the 1980s, the American health empire, the attack on social welfare, and feminist topics, including Witches, Midwives and Nurses: A History of Women Healers, co-written with Deirdre English. She has also written a novel, Kipper's Game.

She has a B.A. from Reed College and a Ph.D in biology from Rockefeller University.She has received numerous grants and awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and honorary degrees. She has lectured at hundreds of colleges and universities in this country and abroad.

The 1999 Freethought Heroine Award was presented to Barbara Ehrenreich in person at the Foundation's annual convention in San Antonio on November 6, 1999.

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