OTD im 1988. Maxie Cleveland Robinson died.
Robinson was an American broadcast journalist. He was the first African American man to anchor a nightly network newcast.
Robinson's career began in 1959 in Portsmouth, Virginia. He was forced to report the news behind a logo to conceal his identity. Robinson decided to remove the logo on air and he was subsequently fired.
In 1965, he joined WTOP-TV in Washington, DC. He worked as a correspondent and camera operator. He moved to WRC-TV and won awards for his coverage of racial protests and Black life in urban neighborhoods. He returned to WTOP-TV and became the first Black news anchor in 1969.
In 1978, Robinson moved to Chicago and was chosen by ABC News as one of three co-anchors of ABC's World News Tonight. This arrangement ended in 1983 following the death of Frank Reynolds.
Robinson was the founder of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ)
Robinson's brother is Randall Robinson, lawyer, activist and founder of TransAfrica
Robinson died of complications from HIV/AIDS in 1988.
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