June Bacon-Bercey

June Bacon-Bercey
June Bacon-Bercey, around 1977
Born	June Esther Griffin (1928-10-23)October 23, 1928 Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
Died	July 3, 2019(2019-07-03) (aged 90) Burlingame, California, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Kansas University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) University of Southern California
Scientific career
Fields	Meteorology Radar metereology Aviation meteorology Weather forecasting
Institutions	US Weather Bureau Sperry Rand Corporation National Broadcasting Company (NBC) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

June Esther Bacon-Bercey (née Griffin, October 23, 1928 – July 3, 2019) was an American international expert on weather and aviation.^[1] She worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Weather Service and the Atomic Energy Commission.^[2]

She was believed to be the first African-American woman to gain a degree in meteorology^[3] and was confirmed to be the first African-American woman to be a televised meteorologist.^[4]

Bacon-Bercey died under hospice care in Burlingame, California from frontotemporal dementia on July 3, 2019 at the age of 90.^[4]

References

1. Pat Viets (2000-03-15). "NOAA Supporting Conference in Atmospheric Sciences at Howard University". NOAA. Archived from the original on 2008-09-16. Retrieved 2008-02-13.
2. Bill Workman (2000-03-23). "Substitute Science Teacher is a Meteorology Legend". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-02-13.
3. Chandler, D.L. "Little Known Black History Fact: June Bacon-Bercey". BlackAmericaWeb. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
4. "June Bacon-Bercey, 90, Pathbreaking Meteorologist, Is Dead". The New York Times. January 7, 2020.