By 1970, he was invited in from the cold and given a special George Polk Award in journalism. He got honorary degrees from American University, Brown, Colby, and others, including a baccalaureate and doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania where he dropped out before graduating.
His numerous awards included:
-- Newspaper Guild of New York Honors Page One Must for his book, "Underground to Palestine" - written before his views about Israel changed after the 1967 war;
-- The Eleanor Roosevelt Award;
-- the National Press Club Journalists' Journalist Award
-- ACLU Award;
- the Professional Freedom and Responsibility Award of the Association for Education In Journalism & Mass Communications;
-- Columbia University Journalism Award; and
-- on March 5, 2008, The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University announced an annual IF Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence award and an IF Stone Workshop on Strengthening Journalistic Independence.
In his name, the annual Izzy Award is presented to "an independent outlet, journalist, or producer for contributions to our culture, politics, or journalism created outside traditional corporate structures."
Three of Stone's great quotes were:
One of several versions of his saying "All governments are run by liars and nothing they say should be believed."
"The only kinds of fights worth fighting are those you are going to lose, because somebody has to fight them and lose and lose and lose until someday, somebody who believes as you do wins...."
"You've really got to wear a chastity belt in Washington to preserve your journalistic virginity. Once the secretary of state invites you to lunch and asks your opinion, you're sunk." Not Stone. His honor and integrity weren't for sale.
In a June 19 - 25, 2009 Counterspin interview, Guttenplan said Stone was never ideologically rigid, and would always change his views in light of new information. He:
"never pretended to be a liberal. He was an unashamed radical, and in a way, the most important way in which he matters is he shows us, he reminds us what's possible. He reminds us what the left can do. He reminds us what our country can do. He reminds us what our government can do if we keep on its back and we make sure it delivers on its promises."
