Legacy of June Bacon-Bercey; America's 1st Black female TV meteorologist

America's 1st Black female TV meteorologist

More than 50 years ago, seeing a Black woman deliver the weather on television was nearly unimaginable. But June Bacon-Bercey changed that reality — and the face of broadcast meteorology forever.

MILWAUKEE - More than 50 years ago, seeing a Black woman deliver the weather on television was nearly unimaginable. But June Bacon-Bercey changed that reality — and the face of broadcast meteorology forever.

June Bacon-Bercey

Remembering June Bacon-Bercey

The backstory:

Born in 1928 in Wichita, Bacon-Bercey’s fascination with weather began after she saw images of the atomic bomb and questioned its impact on the atmosphere. That curiosity grew into a calling. She believed she could be part of the solution and pursued meteorology.

June Bacon-Bercey

Bacon-Bercey studied mathematics at Friends University before transferring to University of California, Los Angeles, one of the few schools offering meteorology at the time. Along the way, she faced discrimination for being Black and for being a female, and was even encouraged to leave meteorology behind. Instead, Bacon-Bercey pressed forward.

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While working in Washington, D.C., Bacon-Bercey studied journalism at night and mailed audition tapes to television stations across the country. She heard "no" repeatedly — until 1971, when WGR-TV in Buffalo gave her a chance.

June Bacon-Bercey

Bacon-Bercey's first on-air forecast was met with overwhelming viewer support. With that moment, she became the nation’s first Black female television meteorologist, and the first woman meteorologist on TV.

Paying it forward

Dig deeper:

Bacon-Bercey later created scholarships to support women pursuing meteorology, ensuring others would have opportunities she had to fight to earn. Her life became a living lesson in resilience: when one door closes, another can open — if you keep knocking.

June Bacon-Bercey

It’s clear that moments like Bacon-Bercey's ripple forward. Her presence on television decades ago made futures possible for others; futures where young girls can look at a weather map and see themselves.

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FOX6 Meteorologist Holly Baker stands on the shoulders of Bacon-Bercey by becoming the first Black meteorologist at FOX6.

Technology has changed. The tools are more advanced. The platforms are broader. But the lesson remains the same. Purpose. Preparation. Perseverance.

Bacon-Bercey didn’t just forecast storms, she weathered them. In doing so, she changed history, proving that sometimes the most powerful force in the atmosphere is determination.