Trudy Haynes, 1st Black TV reporter in Philly dies at 95

Trudy Haynes, the first Black television reporter in Philadelphia, has died at 95, according to news reports.

Fellow journalists described Haynes as a pioneer and a trailblazer.

Her career was “an amazing case study in perseverance, dedication and confidence,” said Vernon Odom, the dean of television reporters in Philadelphia, who retired a few years ago after more than 40 years at 6-ABC TV.

In 1976, when Odom came to Philadelphia from Atlanta, Haynes was firmly established, he said.

“She was widely recognized and widely respected throughout the community,” Odom said. “She was always very welcoming and friendly and accommodating to me as someone who was new in town. It meant a lot to me to have someone who had been that successful for so long. As a female she was a trailblazer and a pioneer. I was always impressed with her intelligence. She epitomized class and intelligence.”

After Odom retired, Haynes invited him to appear on her cable television program, and he gladly accepted.

“Her questions were sharp and to the point, her mind was sharp,” Odom said. “She was a very nice lady. I never heard anybody say anything negative or bad about Ms. Trudy. I never heard her say anything that was a negative about anybody else. People always spoke of her with great admiration and pride.”

Beverly Williams, who in 1975, became the first Black woman anchor at KYW now CBS-3 and in the Philadelphia market, said Ms. Haynes paved the way for her career.

“When I came to Philly, she was very gracious and treated me like family,” Williams said “To say that I admired her would be an understatement. I miss her. She was a hard worker and underrated for her intellect.”

Sarah Glover, incoming vice president for news and civic dialogue at WHYY and a former photographer at The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, said Haynes was a role model for journalists of color and female journalists. Glover is a former president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (PABJ.

“Ms. Trudy Haynes was an inspiring and pioneering journalist as the first Black TV reporter in Philadelphia,” Glover said. “She set a high standard of excellence and was an accessible and empathetic storyteller, thus why community members were drawn to her. Ms. Trudy’s passion for telling authentic Black and brown stories helped fill a void in the media.”

A partnership between CBS3 and PABJ awards the Trudy Haynes Scholarship each year to a college student seeking a career in communications or journalism.

The PABJ said in a statement on Twitter: “Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists in saddened by the recent news that Broadcast Legend Trudy Hayes has passed this morning at 95 years old. We’re not mourning, but will continue celebrating her trailblazing life and legacy.”

Linn Washington, a former reporter at The Philadelphia Tribune and the Daily News and now a journalism professor at Temple University, said: “Her presence on television was a real game changer at a time when Black people were seeking a new sense of identity and a new sense of presence.”

Haynes, Washington said, continued the too often overlooked role of Black journalists in Philadelphia.

“What I find most fascinating about Ms. Haynes is that even in retirement she continued to reach out and bring young people into journalism — giving them experience, helping them build confidence and opening the doors for their careers.”

Washington recalled seeing Haynes interacting with young students at the Blockson Collection at Temple University a few years ago.

“She was being recognized for her career and a portrait of her was unveiled and it was just fascinating to see a person of her age still vital, still connecting with younger people. She was a gem. Her role as an inspiration will continue on,” Washington said.

“She was first class all the way,” Odom said. “She was an institution.”