Scholarship created at CAU in memory of Lo Jelks, Atlanta’s first Black TV reporter

WSB Cox articles
·2 min read

A scholarship has been created at Clark Atlanta University in memory of former WSB-TV reporter and Atlanta’s first Black TV reporter Lorenzo “Lo” Jelks.

Jelks died last week at the age of 83. The family announced they will have a viewing scheduled for March 10 from 4-8 p.m. at Willie A. Watkins Funeral Home. A homegoing service is scheduled for March 11 at 11 a.m. at Antioch Baptist Church North.

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In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to the Lo Jelks Broadcast Journalism Endowed Scholarship at Clark Atlanta University. Jelks graduated from the university in 1961. You can donate to the scholarship here.

Jelks joined WSB-TV in 1967, making him the first Black television reporter in Atlanta, paving the way for many more broadcasters after him. He stayed with WSB-TV until 1976.

“I remember [WSB-TV News Director Ray Moore] saying, ‘Here we are talking about all these situations on air and we don’t have a single Black person working here,’” Jelks recalled during WSB-TV’s 75th Anniversary celebration.

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During his first year at WSB-TV, Jelks was not seen on air. Instead, he was only identified by his name on the screen.

The next year, when Jelks was seen on air, station management was able to remind critics they had been hearing from Jelks for a year.

“[We’re] so grateful that he’s had an opportunity to be celebrated so much in the last several months of his life, and thank you all for your kindness, friendship and support of him,” Jelks family said in a statement to Channel 2 Action News.

Jelks was inducted into the Atlanta Press Club Hall of Fame last year.

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