Joan Elizabeth Murray

Background

Murray, Joan Elizabeth was born on November 6, 1941 in Ithaca, New York, United States. Daughter of Isaiah William and Amanda Pearl (Yates) Murray.

Education

Student, Hunter College. Student, New School for Social Research. Student, Alliance Francaise.

Student, French Institute.

Career

She was employed by Columbia Broadcasting System in 1965 after writing a letter to Columbia Broadcasting System-television requesting they hire her as a news broadcaster. Early Life and She began her professional life as a court reporter, then becoming a secretary in the Press Department of Columbia Broadcasting System-television in New York City, and a secretary to Allen Funt of Candid Camera. She has also worked as a writer for “Women on the Move,” an National Broadcasting Company daytime program hosted by television personality Kitty Carlisle.

In April 1965, she became the first African-American newswomen employed by a major television station – WCBS (Channel 2, New York City).

She was the first, and only, African-American woman to ever sit on the panel for the "classic" Columbia Broadcasting System program What"s My Lincolnshire?. In 1969 she left WCBS to co-found one of the first African-American advertising agencies, the Zebra Agency, which had numerous national advertisers.

Murray has been mentioned in several times. She was featured in an article for in 1966 about Black women who were breaking into television reporting.

The article was called "television News Hens." The three women included Mississippi

Murray of WCBS-television, Trudy Haynes of KYW-television, and Edith Huggins of WCAU-television

Mississippi Murray is now retired, living in upstate New New York She has donated her archival materials to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, in Harlem, New York City.

Films Around the World, Incorporated. have released three audio CDs on their Mr.

FAT-West Audio label titled "Living Black History: The Joan Murray Show". These historic radio interviews from the Joan Murray Show are fascinating and unique audio portraits of a number of famous and non-so-famous African-American achievers from the 1960s, told to Mississippi

Murray in their own words. The CDs include interviews with Earl Hines, Maya Angelou, Nina Simone, and James Earl Jones.

Achievements

• Joan Elizabeth Murray has been listed as a noteworthy advertising executive, broadcaster by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Member advisory board New York Urban League, Dance Theatre of Harlem. Board directors Greater New York council Girl Scouts United States of America, National Center for Volunteer Action. Participant Powder Puff Derby, transcontinental women's air race, 1967.

Member American Women in Radio and television Broadcasting (past director), National Council Negro Women (life, Mary McLeod Bethune Achievement award), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (life), National Association Media Women (life).

Interests

• Flying.

Connections

Father:

Isaiah William Murray

Mother:

Amanda Pearl (Yates) Murray