Bea Moten-Foster facts for kids

Bea Moten-Foster (1938–2011) was an amazing journalist and a true pioneer. She started her own newspaper, the Muncie Times, which served African-American communities in Muncie and nearby cities. Bea was also the first African American to broadcast from the United Nations. She was the first African American woman radio announcer and TV show host in Indianapolis. She broke many barriers!

Bea's Early Life and Radio Start

Bea Moten-Foster was born Beatrice Moten in Selma, Alabama, on July 20, 1937. When she was young, her first job was picking cotton. In the 1960s, she joined the civil rights movement. She was even arrested in Talladega, Alabama, for riding at the front of a bus, which was a brave act during that time.

After high school, Bea moved to Birmingham. There, she began her exciting career as a radio journalist. Later, she moved to Miami. In Miami, she co-hosted a late-night jazz show with Flip Wilson on radio station WFAB.

When WFAB changed to an all-Spanish format, Bea moved to New York City. From 1965 to 1969, she hosted a radio show on WNJR called "African Profiles." On this show, she interviewed more than 65 African diplomats. Because of this, she became the first African American to broadcast from the United Nations.

Making History in Indianapolis

Bea Moten-Foster moved to Indianapolis and became the first Black woman radio announcer there.

In the 1970s, Bea led the Indianapolis Black Bicentennial Committee. This group was formed in 1975. It was part of a growing interest in Black history in Indiana during that time. The committee planned to publish two books. However, the project faced challenges. So, Bea decided to finish one of the books herself. It was a cookbook!

Her 1976 book, 200 Years of Black Cookery, became famous. It showed a new interest in African-American cooking in the 1970s. The book was inspired by her time as a UN reporter. She had collected many African recipes from diplomats she met.

In 1989, Bea Moten-Foster started hosting her own TV show. It was called the Bea Moten-Foster Show on WFBM-TV. This made her the first Black woman to host a television show in Indianapolis.

Work in Muncie

Bea Moten-Foster moved from Indianapolis to Muncie in the early 1980s. She later married Robert O. Foster, a professor at Ball State University.

In 1991, Bea started the Muncie Times newspaper. She began with only fifty dollars! It was the first Black newspaper in Muncie to last longer than a few months.

By the late 1990s, the Muncie Times printed about 8,000 copies. By 2011, it reached 10,000 copies. The newspaper was published twice a month.

Bea Moten-Foster received many honors for her work. She was given the Sagamore of the Wabash award multiple times. This is a very high award in Indiana. One of these awards was from Evan Bayh, who was the governor at the time. In 1996, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce named her Outstanding Businessperson of the Year.

Bea's Legacy

Bea Moten-Foster passed away on April 9, 2011. Her husband, Robert O. Foster, had died about three weeks before her. Many people remembered Bea after her death. Mike Pence, who was a United States Representative then, spoke about her in Congress.

After Bea's death, her daughter, Rev. Pamela Emmanuel, took over the Muncie Times. However, the newspaper stopped publishing soon after.

In 2018, a special marker was added to the Muncie Walk of Fame. It honors both Bea Moten-Foster and her husband.