Black journalist responds after viewer complains about ‘her kind’ on Alabama TV station
An Alabama newscaster says she isn’t going anywhere despite a viewer’s complaint about seeing a Black woman deliver the morning news.
Amanda DeVoe, a reporter and traffic anchor for WKRG-TV in Mobile, shared her response to an email containing racist vitriol and remarks about her intelligence.
“I’ve gotten unpleasant and outright nasty emails before, but this by far takes the cake,” DeVoe wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday, adding: “The racism is appalling and disgusting.”
Hiding behind a pseudonym and fake email, the sender claimed DeVoe was “very uneducated,” illiterate, inarticulate and struggled with “a very bad lisp.”
“Please don’t let the black girl lead the Morning news!” the email continued. “We do not need/want to see Her Kind Every morning we start our day here in South Alabama. Thank you for your understanding of this matter.”
DeVoe clapped back, promising he or she would continue “seeing this melanin with the box braids” on their TV screen every weekday morning.
She ended her response with a simple closing: “Be blessed.”
Fans and viewers rallied around the on-air reporter, offering her words of encouragement and support.
“Forget the racist haters,” one viewer commented on DeVoe’s post. “They’re just mad they aren’t as beautiful and talented as you!!”
“Sis, keep up the great work!” wrote another. “I am so proud of you! I enjoy watching you on TV in the morning. Keep shining your magnificent light!”
DeVoe also received an outpouring of support from fellow WKRG reporters Gabby Easterwood and Jessica Taloney.
Black journalists have often been the target of racist and hateful messages. In September, veteran reporter Maggie Wade of WLBT in Jackson, Mississippi, posted an email from a viewer who criticized her hair, weight and wardrobe, deeming her overall look “offensive.”
Portland news reporter Ken Boddie also responded to a racist and expletive-filled letter he received in the mail in November.
“The fact that one person who has an issue with my race can insult me on that basis alone is hurtful,” Boddie wrote at the time. “It’s not hurtful because it affects the trajectory of my life or my career. It’s hurtful because it leads to a realization that, for some people, your race is your defining characteristic.”
Former Atlanta-area anchor Sharon Reed responded on-air after being called a racial slur in 2017.
This story was originally published December 31, 2020 at 9:17 AM with the headline "Black journalist responds after viewer complains about ‘her kind’ on Alabama TV station."