Allen C. Jeffries Sr.

(July 16, 1910-Dec. 5, 1980). Allen C. Jeffries Sr. was an early American radio journalist. A native of Roachdale, Indiana, Jeffries graduated from DePauw University with honors in 1931 with a degree in English and journalism. After college, Jeffries worked various jobs unrelated to journalism. He was a foreman with the Civilian Conservation Corps at Brown County State Park, a foreman of the Lake Wawasee Fish Hatchery—an all Black CCC project, and worked for the Social Security Board.

Jeffries did not begin working in broadcast journalism until he was offered a job as a newscaster for WOWO radio in Fort Wayne in the 1940s. In 1946, Jeffries spent the summer writing for the United Press International. He left that job to work in Marion at WBAT radio, which he later left for a newscaster position at Kokomo’s WKMO radio station.

In October 1947, Jeffries moved to Indianapolis to work as a commentator for WIRE radio. The station was owned by Indianapolis Newspapers, Inc., and Jeffries’ newscasts originated, initially, from the city room of the Indianapolis Star. In 1951 while at WIRE, he became the first Indianapolis newsman to use the self-contained Minitape tape recorder. He moved to the WISH radio news operation for a short time before leaving Indiana and working at Michigan and Ohio radio stations. Jeffries returned to Indianapolis in 1961 and became a part of the WFBM (later Wrtv) news staff where he was an assignment editor and newscaster.

During the 1950s, Jeffries was honored by both the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and the Indianapolis Safety Council for his contributions to traffic safety. While at Channel 6, he won separate news writing awards from both the NBC and CBS networks for documentaries he researched and prepared. He also became a member of the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame in 1971 and was inducted into the Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame posthumously in 2012.

Jeffries died in Atlanta, Georgia, where he resided for 5 years, following his retirement in 1975.

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