SAG-AFTRA announced the death of Belva Davis, a veteran broadcaster and former union leader, at age 92. Davis was recognized as the 39th recipient of the union’s George Heller Memorial Award.
Davis was noted for her pioneering role in broadcasting and her advocacy for civil rights. She held leadership roles within SAG-AFTRA and contributed to advancing workplace protections for reporters.
“I was sad to learn of Belva’s passing,” said SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin. “The broadcast community has lost a barrier breaking legend. Belva helped establish the 40 hour work week for reporters and was a powerful advocate for broadcasters in the union. On behalf of the members of SAG-AFTRA, we send condolences to her family and respect for the impact she had on our community.”
SAG-AFTRA National Vice President, Broadcasters Bob Butler also reflected on Davis’s influence: “I first met Belva when I joined the AFTRA local board in the mid 1980’s. She became my mentor and friend. She was always a calm, persuasive voice in National Board meetings. When she retired from her union service as AFTRA Vice President she encouraged me to run to replace her. I am thankful for the impact she had as a pioneer in television news, the labor movement and me.”
Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Davis grew up in Oakland, California. Her journalism career began with publications focused on African American issues before moving into radio and then television. In 1966, she became the first African American woman to work as a television reporter on the U.S. West Coast. She reported on significant events such as student protests at Berkeley, the rise of the Black Panthers, and incidents related to Jonestown.
Throughout her career, Davis focused on political reporting and advocating for racial and gender equality by highlighting African American stories in mainstream media. Her achievements earned her eight local Emmy awards along with honors from organizations including the International Women’s Media Foundation and the National Association of Black Journalists.
Davis joined both SAG and AFTRA in 1966, serving on various boards from 1979 through 2007 and acting as vice president during part of that time.
In her memoir “Never in My Wildest Dreams: A Black Woman’s Life in Journalism,” Davis recounted becoming aware of labor issues after working extended periods without days off: “One day my shop steward, studio announcer Bill Hillman, dropped by my desk to ask about my workload. I was so thrilled to be a TV reporter that I’d never stopped to question whether my station might be taking advantage of me. But in that past month alone, I had worked 29 consecutive days without one off.
“… Years later, at Hillman’s request, I gave permission to the union to use copies of my time cards as ammunition in its battle to establish a 40-hour work week for TV reporters … AFTRA prevailed, guaranteeing that my fellow unionized broadcast reporters who worked more than a forty-hour week were entitled to overtime pay.”
Davis received several awards recognizing her contributions including SAG-AFTRA’s George Heller Memorial Award in 1997 and Howard Keel Award in 2018.
SAG-AFTRA represents about 160,000 professionals across various entertainment fields nationwide.
