We mourn the loss of a fierce warrior!
Gail Christian has sprouted her wings and flown!
With an extremely heavy heart, we let you know that she transitioned today with her life partner Lucy by her side. She was fighting to make it out of Cedars Sinai after surgery complications, but as strong-willed as we all knew her to be, it was time to meet her ancestors.
Gail was a leader in the jazz and blues, LGBTQ, women’s, and Women of Color communities; we mourn the loss of one of our most iconic figures. She was a partner, mother, grandmother, and larger-than-life dear friend. Our hearts are very full – she will be missed by all who knew her!
A life so fully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. We will keep you posted on detailed information about memorial services.
In loving memory of
Gail Christian
February 20, 1940 – April 12, 2023
Gail Christian, a prominent television journalist and news executive who broke barriers as a black on-air correspondent, died at the age of 83. She passed away due to complications of recent intestinal surgery in Los Angeles.
Despite a troubled youth, including a prison stint for armed robbery, Gail Christian overcame the odds and paved the way for Black women in the industry. She became a visible presence in American living rooms with her coverage for NBC News of the trial of Patricia Hearst, the newspaper heiress who was kidnapped in 1974 by a band of leftist revolutionaries.
In an interview with The Chicago Tribune in 1986, Gail Christian said, “I always wanted to be ‘the Black reporter,’ as in covering Black stories. I felt that was the reason I was there. I didn’t resent it in the least. I felt then, as I feel now, it is very dangerous for a group of people to live in a society where they are not allowed to interpret themselves.” After two years at NBC News, she became the news director of the public station KCET in her native Los Angeles, where she created a “60 Minutes”-style investigative series called “28 Tonight” that featured several award-winning segments, including one about a banking scandal that hurt low-income communities and another about a chemical spill in Orange County that caused illnesses in the area.
Ms. Christian moved to Washington in 1981, starting a nearly decade-long run as the news director for the Public Broadcasting Service. She broke the mold as one of the few black women in the industry and inspired young Black kids to see someone admirable on TV who looked like them. Her contribution gave them recognition and hope for their future.
Sources
- The New York Times