BELTON, Texas — The first African American journalist to be on television in Central Texas died Sunday.
Roscoe Harrison Jr., native of Belton, graduated from Harris High School in 1963.
Harrison had a long career in broadcast and print journalism. He was the first African American reporter for the Temple Daily Telegram and the San Antonio Express-News in 1966 and 1967 and the first African American television news anchor for KCEN-TV in 1970.
Harrison worked for KCEN Channel 6 from 1970 to 1993.
In 1968, Harrison became the associate editor of JET Magazine in Chicago and participated in the coverage of several major news events, including the death and funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The magazine’s coverage of King’s funeral won them a Pulitzer Prize in 1969.
Since 2002, Harrison served as the Pastor of the 8th Street Baptist Church in Temple.