Edie Huggins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edie Huggins
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Edie Huggins in 1971
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| Born | August 14, 1935 |
| Died | July 29, 2008 (aged 72) |
Edie Huggins (born August 14, 1935 – died July 29, 2008) was an American television reporter and broadcaster. She made history in 1966 by becoming one of the first African American women to report on TV in Philadelphia. Edie Huggins worked at WCAU-TV for an amazing 42 years. This was the longest time any TV news reporter stayed at a Philadelphia station!
Early Life and Career
Edie Huggins was born Edith Lou Thompson on August 14, 1935. Her hometown was St. Joseph, Missouri. Later in life, she became known as Edie (pronounced Eedee). She finished Bartlett High School in St. Joseph in 1953. Edith then went to the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. She graduated with honors, earning a bachelor's degree in science.
Edie Huggins started her career as a registered nurse in New York City. She worked at Bellevue Hospital and Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital. At the same time, she also worked as a helper for the NBC daytime TV show, The Doctors. This show started in 1963.
Her work as a helper soon led to her acting in the show. She also acted in other TV shows like Love of Life and The Edge of Night on CBS. In 1966, Huggins was in the film, A Man Called Adam. She acted alongside famous stars like Sammy Davis Jr., Ossie Davis, Frank Sinatra, Jr. and Louis Armstrong.
Working at WCAU-TV
Edie Huggins was first hired at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia in 1966. She became a features reporter for a show called The Big News Team with John Facenda. This happened after she met a TV broadcast boss in a New York City restaurant. That boss was Bruce Bryan, the general manager of WCAU-TV, also known as Channel 10. At that time, Channel 10 was connected to the CBS network. Huggins was a single mom when she moved to Philadelphia for her new job. She arrived with her two children and only $65.
In 2006, Edie Huggins had an interview for her 40th year at WCAU. She shared that she was hired even though she didn't have much experience on live television. She said she was hired to compete with another local TV station, KYW-TV. KYW-TV had just hired its first African American female reporter, Trudy Haynes. Edie Huggins herself made history by becoming WCAU's first African American female reporter.
After her success, the TV station gave Huggins her own show called Morning Side. She also helped host a midday news show called What's Happening in the early 1970s. She worked with Herb Clarke, the weatherman.
Her other shows on WCAU included Horizons and Huggins' Heroes. The Huggins' Heroes show focused on regular local people who did great things. These were often things that helped their community. Huggins' Heroes became a weekly part of WCAU news in the 1990s and 2000s. This show helped her become known as a reporter who found "unsung heroes" in the Philadelphia area.
In 2006, the Philadelphia City Council honored Edie Huggins. They celebrated her 40th anniversary at WCAU (which was then an NBC station). They declared "Edie Huggins Day" in the city. This special day was officially announced with a resolution on March 30, 2006.
Edie Huggins received many other awards. She was added to the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame. The Urban League of Philadelphia also named her one of the "Outstanding African American Philadelphians of the 20th century." The Philadelphia Chapter of American Women in Radio & Television honored her as Communicator of the Year. She also received a lifetime achievement award from the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences also gave her an award.
Huggins helped start the National Association of Black Journalists. Her coworkers often said she was a mentor. Younger reporters and staff in Philadelphia TV news lovingly called her "Miss Edie."
In 2006, Huggins played the main role in an independent film called So Big. The movie first showed on May 3, 2008, in Philadelphia.
The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia added Edie Huggins to their Hall of Fame in 2002.
Death
Edie Huggins passed away from lung cancer on July 29, 2008. She was 72 years old. She is survived by her two children, Hastings Edward Huggins and Laurie Linn. Many people from Philadelphia's media attended a memorial service at her church, Bright Hope Baptist Church, in North Philadelphia. She is buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd.
