Iola Johnson

Iola Vivian Johnson (born October 10, 1950)[1] was the first African-American news anchor for a Dallas television station.[2]

Career

Johnson was born in Texarkana, Arkansas. One of her first professional positions was with NBC affiliate KVOA in Tucson, Arizona, where she wrote for the 10 o'clock news.[3]

In 1973, she took a position with WFAA in Dallas,[3] and debuted as a weekend news anchor there in May of that year.[4] In 1975, she and Tracy Rowlett began a ten-year run as co-anchors.[2] Together, their news program was the most successful in Dallas-Fort Worth television history.[3] Johnson remained at WFAA-TV for more than 12 years.

Johnson is the former host of Positively Texas (a weekly public affairs television show that aired on TXA 21 KTXA, CBS 11's sister station and former UPN affiliate).

In 1985, Johnson left her anchor position with WFAA-TV to start her own business.[3] (Her last night on WFAA-TV being March 2, 1985.[2]) After working for a short time in St. Louis, she returned to Dallas to work there as a reporter for a morning show on KKDA.[3]

In September 2000, Johnson chose to return to television news to help launch a new hour-long newscast at 4pm on KTVT CBS 11 in Dallas-Fort Worth with longtime friend and former WFAA colleague Tracy Rowlett. After two years, Tracy and Iola left the 4pm newscast when it was cancelled.

References

  1. ↑ "Iola Vivian Johnson" in Who's Who Among African Americans, 23rd edition Gale, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Bark, Ed (August 28, 2008). "Iola Johnson: leaving for parts unknown". Uncle Barky's Bytes. Retrieved November 1, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Iola Johnson Biography". The History Makers. Retrieved November 1, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Dallas-Fort Worth TV newswoman Iola Johnson to be honored as trailblazer". Dallas News. Retrieved November 1, 2009.


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