Melba Tolliver
Encyclopedia
Melba Tolliver is an American
journalist
and former New York City
news anchor
and reporter. She is best remembered for her defiant stance against ABC
owned WABC-TV
when she refused to don a wig or scarf
to cover up her Afro
in order to cover the White House
wedding of President
Richard Nixon
's daughter Tricia Nixon
in 1971.
Tolliver was born in Rome, Georgia
. She worked at WABC as a reporter and anchor from 1967 to 1976. She then went to WNBC
where she remained until 1980. She also worked at News 12 Long Island from 1986 to 1994.
Tolliver has co-hosted, with Gil Noble
, ABC's Like It Is
series which focused upon the Black Community.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and former New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
news anchor
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
and reporter. She is best remembered for her defiant stance against ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
owned WABC-TV
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
when she refused to don a wig or scarf
Scarf
A scarf is a piece of fabric worn around the neck, or near the head or around the waist for warmth, cleanliness, fashion or for religious reasons. They can come in a variety of different colours.-History:...
to cover up her Afro
Afro
Afro, sometimes shortened to fro and also known as a "natural", is a hairstyle worn naturally by people with lengthy kinky hair texture or specifically styled in such a fashion by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair...
in order to cover the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
wedding of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
's daughter Tricia Nixon
Patricia Nixon Cox
Patricia "Tricia" Nixon Cox is the elder daughter of the 37th U.S. President Richard M. Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon, and sister to Julie Nixon Eisenhower....
in 1971.
Tolliver was born in Rome, Georgia
Rome, Georgia
Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest city and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Floyd County...
. She worked at WABC as a reporter and anchor from 1967 to 1976. She then went to WNBC
WNBC
WNBC, virtual channel 4 , is the flagship station of the NBC television network, located in New York City. WNBC's studios are co-located with NBC corporate headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan...
where she remained until 1980. She also worked at News 12 Long Island from 1986 to 1994.
Tolliver has co-hosted, with Gil Noble
Gil Noble
Gil Noble is an American television reporter and interviewer. He was the producer and host of New York City television station WABC-TV's weekly, Like It Is, originally co-hosted with Melba Tolliver...
, ABC's Like It Is
Like It Is (public affairs program)
Like It Is is a public affairs television program focusing on issues relevant to the African-American community, produced and aired on WABC-TV in New York City between 1968 and 2011. It is one of the longest-running, locally-produced programs of its kind in television history...
series which focused upon the Black Community.