Born: 6 November 1933, United States
Died: 21 March 2024
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Sarah-Ann King
The following is republished with permission from the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail.
Sarah-Ann Shaw (1933–2024), Boston’s first Black woman TV reporter, led Civil Rights voter efforts, told neighborhood stories, and earned numerous accolades.
Born in the New England Hospital for Women & Children, now Dimock Center, in Roxbury, Sarah-Ann Shaw (1933-2024) graduated from Girls Latin School and enrolled briefly at Boston University. She lived her entire 90 years in Boston. During the 1960s Civil Rights Movement she played a leadership role in coordinating student-led voter efforts, working with the Congress of Racial Equality and the Southern Christian Leadership Council. She became the first Black woman reporter on Boston television when she was hired by WBZ television station in 1969; she then appeared on local favorites such as “Say, Brother” and “Basic Black.” She aimed to tell every neighborhood’s story. She reported extensively on the Boston Busing Crisis with precision and empathy. Shaw received numerous awards including an honorary degree from Simmons College and a lifetime achievement award from the National Association of Black Journalists.