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The first Black man to work as a reporter for a Capital District television station, Screven, who was 72, joined the CBS6 team in 1977.
“As a Black man on TV in Albany in the early 70's, Ken was a trailblazer with a conscience. He even profiled his own family history in the deep south where his great grandfather was a slave,” the outlet said.
After retiring in 2011, Screven found more success writing a popular blog for the Albany Times Union, where he “denounced racism, bias, and bigotry in their many forms,” according to the newspaper.
His work earned him the 2020 Hero Award from the Albany Damien Center “for his commitment to educating and advocating for the community,” CBS6 reports.
Following news of his passing, several of Screven’s former colleagues paid tribute to him on social media.
“I met Ken in 1985 when I interned at WRGB and he was by far the nicest person in the building to me,” News10 ABC anchor John Gray wrote on Facebook.
“You really can tell a lot about a person by how they treat people they don’t have to be nice to.”
Longtime NewsChannel13 reporter Phil Bayly said he and Screven got to know one another during their years as competitors covering the same stories.
“Ken was always a gentleman and always treated people with decency. He usually brought a great sense of humor to a conversation,” Bayly said.
Screven died in a hospital Wednesday, May 18, following years of health problems, according to the Albany Times Union.
Click here for the full story from CBS6.
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