Texas Originals

Julia Scott Reed

July 17, 1917–October 19, 2004

Pioneering Black journalist Julia Scott Reed was born in Dallas in 1917. After graduating from high school, she studied journalism and communications at a local business school.

In 1950, Reed became a Texas correspondent for The Call, a Kansas City African American newspaper. A year later, she joined the Dallas Express, the area’s dominant Black newspaper at the time. She worked her way through the ranks at the Express to become its city editor.

Reed’s coverage of historic events such as the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education case and the 1964 trial of Jack Ruby brought her recognition and respect as a journalist. During this time, Reed also provided commentary for Fort Worth-based radio station KNOK.

In 1967, Reed was hired by the Dallas Morning News, becoming the first African American employed full-time at the newspaper. Her column "The Open Line" gave a much-needed voice to Dallas’s Black community. At a time of widespread racial tension, Reed’s writing helped promote dialogue between the city’s white and Black communities.

Reed was also active in the civil rights movement, Democratic politics, and community service.

In 1978, Reed suffered a major stroke, which prematurely ended her journalism career. She died in 2004. In 2018, the Morning News named a space after Reed in their new building to recognize her trailblazing career and record of public service.

For More about Julia Scott Reed

The Julia Scott Reed Papers are held by the Archives of Women of the Southwest, in the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University. The archive includes papers, photographs, and awards given to Reed.

Reed was an active member of the Dallas NAACP and received a certificate of lifetime membership in 1971. In addition to sitting on numerous advisory boards, including the War on Poverty and the Goals for Dallas Task Force, Reed also served as the first president of the Dallas Urban League from 1972 to 1974.

One of Reed’s most significant contributions while at the Morning News was the attention she paid to politics in her column. She repeatedly used her writing to highlight the potential power of the Black vote and fight political apathy within the Black community. The large numbers of "letters to the editor" as well as personal letters to Reed were a marker of her effectiveness.

Reed’s daughter, Gayle Eubanks Coleman, founded the Julia Scott Reed Community Foundation in October 2009. The organization’s purpose is to continue Reed’s legacy by providing mentorship and financial support to rising journalists and journalism students.

Selected Bibliography

Adams-Wade, Norma. "Celebration to mark 100th birthday of pioneering black journalist Julia Scott Reed." Dallas Morning News, July 3, 2017.

Dulaney, W. Marvin. "Presenting the Truth about African Americans in Dallas." In Texas Women: Their Histories, Their Lives, edited by Elizabeth Hayes Turner, Stephanie Cole, and Rebecca Sharpless. Athens and London: University of Georgia Press, 2015.

Grange, Meredyth. "Julia Scott Reed: The First Black Journalist at the Dallas Morning News." Dallas Morning News, February 27, 2018.

Nabors, Daniel J. and W. Marvin Dulaney. "Reed, Julia Scott." Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed December 28, 2016.

"Obituary: Julia Scott Reed, 87, journalism pioneer." Houston Chronicle, October 24, 2004.

Listen to the audio

Portrait of Julia Scott Reed from the collections of the Dallas History and Archives Division, Dallas Public Library.

Julia Scott Reed at a podium. Courtesy of DeGolyer Library, SMU.