Sandra D. Hughes was honored by the National Conference for Community and Justice tonight for her achievements and involvement in the Greensboro area.
Hughes is a North Carolina A&T graduate and Greensboro native and worked at WFMY News 2 for 40 years as a reporter and anchor.
Though Hughes had quite an impressive career for someone who dreamed of becoming a high school English teacher, it was much more difficult than she imagined.
“When I started on TV, I did not expect to get the reception I got from the community,” she said.
Once Hughes moved from reporting to anchoring in the late 1970s, some Greensboro citizens were not pleased to see an African-American woman at the forefront of a popular news channel. The television station received bomb threats, and the building had to be evacuated. At first, Hughes would leave the building with the rest of the news crew, but then she refused to leave. People also began to threaten her as well as her family.
“I thought I was doing the right thing,” she said. She became the first African-American woman in the Southeast to co-host PM magazine, an evening show that was aired throughout the United States.
“By breaking down so many barriers, Sandra expanded her career and social opportunities for women and people of different ethnicities,” said Al Lineberry, chair of the NCCJ award dinner.
A&T faculty members and students were at the award dinner to show their support.
“This is a well deserved honor for her,” said Gail Wiggins, interim chair of A&T’s Journalism & Mass Communications department. “We are just so thrilled to have her, and the wisdom and experience she brings is just amazing. And to think that I watched her when I was a college student, and now, I’m working with her.”
Hughes currently teaches broadcast journalism at A&T.
“She wanted the best from me in every assignment,” said Ian Dear, a senior journalism student. “It’s rare to find that quality in a teacher. She cares so much and is very genuine.”
WFMY News 2 anchor Frank Mickens and former anchor Lee Kinard also attended the award dinner and spoke about time they spent with Hughes.
Hughes is heavily involved in the community volunteering with different organizations and continues to host events and speak at forums.
She still works closely with WFMY.
This is the second consecutive year that an A&T faculty member has been an NCCJ honoree. Chancellor Harold L. Martin was honored in 2012.
- Karmen Robinson, Editor-in-Chief