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His
dedication
didn’t
go
unnoticed.
Al
earned
numerous
local
and
national
accolades,
including
honors
from
United
Press
International,
the
Associated
Press,
and the
National
Association
of Black
Journalists.
His
groundbreaking
documentary
Crime by
Color,
Black on
Black
received
the
prestigious
Robert
F.
Kennedy
Journalism
Award,
while
Motown,
Where
Did Our
Love Go?
garnered
an
Associated
Press
award
and an
Emmy
nomination. |
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Al
Allen:
Legendary
Journalist
and
Beloved
Family
Man
By HB
Meeks
Tell Us
Detroit
DETROIT
- Andrew
Long
Sr.,
born on
September
9, 1945,
in
Little
Rock,
Arkansas,
was a
man of
unwavering
determination,
boundless
passion,
and
steadfast
integrity.
In the
mid-1950s,
he moved
to
Detroit
with his
stepfather
Oscar
Long,
mother
Doris
Long,
and
sisters
Donna
and
Beverly.
As the
eldest
sibling,
Andrew
naturally
stepped
into the
role of
protector,
embracing
responsibility
early in
life—traits
that
would
guide
him
throughout
his
remarkable
journey.
At
Mumford
High
School,
Andrew
discovered
a deep
love for
journalism,
finding
his
voice
through
the
student
broadcast
Spotlight
on
Mumford.
His
charisma
behind
the
microphone
hinted
at a
promising
future,
and his
involvement
in
various
school
organizations,
including
The
Hexagons,
showcased
his
dedication
beyond
the
newsroom.
It
was
during
these
formative
years
that he
met
Alfreda,
the love
of his
life.
Their
bond
proved
unbreakable.
On March
18,
1967,
they
married,
embarking
on a
57-year
love
story
filled
with
devotion,
laughter,
and
shared
dreams.
Their
son,
Andrew
Jr.,
brought
Andrew
Sr.
immense
joy, and
he
embraced
fatherhood
with the
same
zeal he
applied
to every
endeavor.
Andrew’s
pursuit
of
journalism
was
relentless.
To gain
experience,
he
worked
as a
nightclub
DJ, a
job that
opened
doors to
his
first
radio
gig. It
was then
that
Andrew
Long Sr.
became
known as
Al
Allen—a
name
destined
to
become
synonymous
with
Detroit
journalism.
Al
Allen’s
career
spanned
nearly
five
decades,
during
which he
became a
trusted
voice
and
familiar
face in
Detroit
media.
Beginning
in the
1970s at
WJLB
radio,
he
pioneered
a
street-level
style of
news
reporting
that
resonated
with the
city’s
heartbeat.
In 1984,
he
joined
WJBK-TV2,
then a
CBS
affiliate,
and
remained
through
its
transition
to FOX
2. Rain,
snow, or
shine,
Al Allen
was
there—covering
politics,
community
stories,
and
human-interest
pieces
with
authenticity
and
warmth.
His
dedication
didn’t
go
unnoticed.
Al
earned
numerous
local
and
national
accolades,
including
honors
from
United
Press
International,
the
Associated
Press,
and the
National
Association
of Black
Journalists.
His
groundbreaking
documentary
Crime by
Color,
Black on
Black
received
the
prestigious
Robert
F.
Kennedy
Journalism
Award,
while
Motown,
Where
Did Our
Love Go?
garnered
an
Associated
Press
award
and an
Emmy
nomination.
In 2019,
Wayne
State
University
recognized
his
contributions
with the
Working
in the
Spirit
of
Diversity
Award. A
year
prior,
he
published
his
memoir
We’re
Standing
By,
offering
readers
a
behind-the-scenes
look at
his
extraordinary
career.
Beyond
journalism,
Andrew
was a
man of
deep
faith
and
community
service.
At St.
Andrew
A.M.E.
Church
in
Detroit,
he
served
faithfully
as an
usher,
trustee,
and
co-chair
of the
Lay
Organization
Friends
of
Education.
His
commitment
to
uplifting
others
was as
steadfast
as his
dedication
to
reporting
the
truth.
In
October
2023,
Andrew
faced
the
profound
loss of
his
beloved
Alfreda.
Now,
they are
reunited
in
eternal
love. He
was also
preceded
in death
by his
mother
Doris
Long,
sister
Donna
Long,
uncle
Earl
McFarlin,
and
cousin
Mattie
McNairy.
He
leaves
behind a
loving
family:
his son
and
daughter-in-law,
Andrew
Jr. and
Yolanda;
cherished
grandchildren,
Andrew
and
Evan;
sister
Beverly;
and a
host of
nieces,
nephews,
cousins,
and dear
friends
who will
forever
treasure
his
wisdom,
kindness,
and
unwavering
spirit.
Andrew
Long
Sr.—to
most, Al
Allen—didn’t
just
report
the
news; he
lived
it,
shaped
it, and
became a
part of
Detroit’s
very
fabric.
His
legacy
is one
of
integrity,
passion,
and
relentless
pursuit
of
truth.
For
those
who
tuned in
over the
years,
his
sign-off
was more
than a
closing
line—it
was a
promise
of
honesty
and
dedication:
"This is
Al
Allen,
Fox 2
News."
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HI TECH NEWS
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SPORTS
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