Pioneering meteorologist Dr. June Bacon-Bercey has died at 90 years old.

Bacon-Bercey died in July, but her daughter Dail St. Claire did not share the news until last month, according to AccuWeather. St. Claire did not reveal the cause of death.

The trailblazing Bacon-Bercey achieved several firsts during her career. In 1955, she became the first Black woman to earn a degree in meteorology when she graduated from the University of Kansas. Bacon-Bercey also earned a master’s degree from UCLA.

She was also the first female television meteorologist in American history. Finally, she was the first woman and Black person to earn the American Meteorological Society’s Seal of Approval for excellence in television weather casting.

She went on to work for the National Weather Service, Atomic Energy Commission, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and an NBC affiliate in Buffalo, New York, according to WGRZ.

"She wasn't in Buffalo very long, but she made Buffalo broadcasting history as the first woman of color to be on a TV news anchor team here," Buffalo-based historian Steve Cichon explained. "She was also the first scientist to have the job here. She was an important trailblazer in many ways."

Bacon-Bercey’s dedication to her field did not stop with her own career. She wanted to open doors for people of color and women who were interested in atmospheric science. In 1977, she won $64,000 from a game show and used the funds to create a scholarship program for women who wanted to enter meteorology. Between 1978 and 1990, the scholarship helped 12 women pay for their education.

“I was discouraged (from becoming a meteorologist), and other women were discouraged,” Bacon-Bercey told The Washington Post soon after she won the money. “If they feel they’ve got some money behind them, it might be better.”

Bacon-Bercey was also her daughter’s role model. St. Claire works as chief operating officer for Park Avenue Finance, but her mother’s career taught her some essential career lessons.

“My mom was my mentor and my role model in my life,” St. Claire told AccuWeather. “I always speak about my mom in my life whenever I have a chance to speak in different venues. There’s no question that my career, while different, the work ethic and discipline and persistence and uncompromising goal to be excellent at all costs is what I learned from my mom.”

Black-Meteorologists

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