Florida – The American Meteorological Society’s Broadcaster of the Year Award has been renamed to honor the late June Bacon-Bercey, a pioneering African American woman in the field of meteorology.
According to the AMS this award recognizes one broadcast meteorologist each year for their sustained long-term contributions to the community through broadcast media or for outstanding work during a specific weather event.
AMS board members strongly encouraged the change citing Bacon-Bercey as doing this very thing during “a time when barriers could have stood in the way of her achieving success”.
The path she paved began in the 50s when Bacon-Bercey was the first African American woman to earn a bachelor’s in meteorology.