In 1983, straight out of college, Robin Roberts used her unique combination of athletic talent, journalist skill and poise to become a sports anchor reporter in Hattiesburg, Miss. Just seven years later, ESPN came knocking. At age 29, Roberts became the first black woman to anchor ESPN's flagship series, "SportsCenter." Roberts was different than Jayne Kennedy because she was able to articulate her knowledge of sports to the viewers. The former athlete had an amazing career as a college basketball player. She was Southeastern Louisiana leading scorer, with 1,446 points. Roberts admitted in an interview that she once dreamed of going pro, but quickly realized sports reporting was the next best thing. She would not only go on to be ESPN’s first black woman anchor, and the first black female host of “Wild World of Sports,” but she would also become the first woman of any race to host a network televised National Football League pre-game show.
“I want to increase my territory so I can do more good. I don't want more good for me, but I want a bigger platform so I can do more good for others." - Robin Roberts
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