INDIANAPOLIS — A big shout out is in order to a WRTV living legend, Barbara Boyd, who turned 92 this past weekend.
On Saturday, her friends and family held a celebration as people drove by the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church on E. 34th Street where they celebrated and showered Barbara with love on her special day.
Barbara was the first Black woman in Indianapolis to appear on television as a journalist. She remains active; in February, she co-hosted a throwback telethon on WRTV and wrtv.com to benefit UNCF, just as she had decades ago. Ms. Boyd is also well remembered for making her battle with breast cancer public, shooting a story in the hospital shortly after having a mastectomy at a time when the subject was generally taboo in media. She is a member of the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame and the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame.
“92. The Lord’s been good to me. Really good,” Boyd said. “To have so many friends and close family. And the key thing is, I’m still healthy! As my mother used to say, "I know who I am and I know where I am! Hello!" It’s great to be the first, but not the most important thing. Being first is cool, but it’s what you do after that. What more are you doing to make your community better? To make your family better? And that’s what I’ve tried to do.”
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett presented a proclamation to Boyd on Saturday, making it Barbara Boyd Day. He praised her for her groundbreaking work as a journalist including her award winning report on breast cancer awareness.
