The Bay Area Black Journalists Association is deeply saddened by the passing of Belva Davis early Wednesday morning, September 24.
Davis family said in a statement that she died peacefully in her sleep after battling a long illness. She would have been 93 on October 13.
Belva Davis was a pioneer in journalism and civil rights, who had a distinguished career in television broadcasting. Davis helped change the face of broadcast news.
Her first paid writing job was as a freelancer for Jet Magazine. SHe worked with several Black weeklies, including the Bay Area Independent and the San Francisco Sun-Reporter. She moved to broadcast, first at KSAN and later KDIA.
She made history in 1966 when KPIX hired her as the first Black female television journalist in the West. Throughout her career, Davis endured racism and sexism with a fierce dignity that became her hallmark.
Her bright inquisitive mind brought context and texture to the biggest stories of her time – from the Berkeley student protests of the Vietnam War, the Black Panther Movement, the Jim Jones mass suicide in Guyana, the assassination of Harvey Milk and Mayor Moscone, and the terrorist attacks in Tanzania and Kenya that for the first time brought al Qaeda into the public consciousness.
She made an impact as a reporter and anchor at KPIX, then as chief political reporter at KRON, and as the host of This Week in Northern California at KQED.
In 2018 she was inducted into the California Museum Hall of Fame. She was also featured in the Newseum in Washington D.C.
She served on the boards of Blue Shield, the Museum of the African Diaspora, the DeYoung Museum, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
In 1963, she married Bill Moore who was a pioneer in his own right after becoming the first African American cameraman to work for a major network affiliate, KTVU-2, for 28 years.
Davis’ published her memoir, “Never in My Wildest Dreams: A Black Woman’s Life in Journalism,” in 2011.
“Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality,” Davis would say. “If you can dream it, you can make it so.” Her life stands as a testament to her words.
She leaves behind her husband of over 60 years, Bill Moore, daughter Darolyn (Spouse David Wilkins), son Steven (spouse Sheryl Algee) and granddaughters Dava and Sterling and a host of relatives.
Belva was instrumental in supporting the Bay Area Black Journalists Association through her mentorship and philanthropy. She leaves behind countless journalists and media professionals who also considered her a friend. Although her passing leaves a great void in our media community, her imprint and legacy lives on infinitely.
Details on a memorial service are pending.
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