Television Broadcast Pioneer. A longtime Midwest broadcast personality, she was the first African-American television weather reporter in the United States. Born Dianne Elizabeth Johnson, she was, according to legend, descended from a Confederate General's slave mistress and was educated in the St. Louis, Missouri schools, graduating from Sumner High School in 1956. After earning a degree from the University of Missouri in 1960, she returned home, was a manager for Avon Cosmetics, modeled for two upscale department stores, and developed a following as a popular Jazz vocalist with bandleader Russ David before being hired, on his recommendation, for a part time job at KSD-Radio (now, KSDK). In 1962, known then as 'Diane White', she was asked by the managers of KSD-TV to take over the weather reporting on one of its news shows. Required only at the time to present themselves attractively and not to have any real knowledge of meteorology, Diane Clatto instead studied with the National Weather Service and educated herself greatly in the field. Despite resistance and complaints from some white members of the viewing audience, in time she was seen seven days a week and became a well admired part of the entire community. As time went on, superficial weather presenters fell out of fashion in favor of professionally trained meteorologists and in 1986 KSDK fired her, though she was able to file a successful suit against the station. Inducted into the St. Louis Media Hall-of-Fame, she was honored by numerous organizations and was in later years a talk show hostess as well as an assistant to Mayor Francis G. Slay.
Television Broadcast Pioneer. A longtime Midwest broadcast personality, she was the first African-American television weather reporter in the United States. Born Dianne Elizabeth Johnson, she was, according to legend, descended from a Confederate General's slave mistress and was educated in the St. Louis, Missouri schools, graduating from Sumner High School in 1956. After earning a degree from the University of Missouri in 1960, she returned home, was a manager for Avon Cosmetics, modeled for two upscale department stores, and developed a following as a popular Jazz vocalist with bandleader Russ David before being hired, on his recommendation, for a part time job at KSD-Radio (now, KSDK). In 1962, known then as 'Diane White', she was asked by the managers of KSD-TV to take over the weather reporting on one of its news shows. Required only at the time to present themselves attractively and not to have any real knowledge of meteorology, Diane Clatto instead studied with the National Weather Service and educated herself greatly in the field. Despite resistance and complaints from some white members of the viewing audience, in time she was seen seven days a week and became a well admired part of the entire community. As time went on, superficial weather presenters fell out of fashion in favor of professionally trained meteorologists and in 1986 KSDK fired her, though she was able to file a successful suit against the station. Inducted into the St. Louis Media Hall-of-Fame, she was honored by numerous organizations and was in later years a talk show hostess as well as an assistant to Mayor Francis G. Slay.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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