Al Allen, the renowned FOX 2 reporter, passed away at the age of 79, the television network reported on Wednesday, February 5th. The legendary journalist had been hospitalized until Tuesday night in a Metro Detroit hospital, where his death was reported.
Allen leaves behind his wife Alfreda Long, his son Andrew Long Jr., and two grandsons, Andrew III and Evan. According to the station where he worked for nearly 30 years, the details about the funeral and visitation are still to be confirmed.
What did Al Allen die from?
So far, the family has not disclosed the cause of Al Allen’s death or whether the reporter had any prior health issues.
Who was Al Allen?
For three decades, Allen was a constant presence on FOX 2, covering topics such as crime and corruption. He also reported on traffic and weather and presented stories that highlighted the best of Metro Detroit.
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Born as Andrew Long in Little Rock, Arkansas, he lived there until the age of 13 when he moved to Detroit. His broadcasting career began at a college radio station when he was a journalism student, where he would clean floors and windows before taking the microphone to share the news.
It was in Detroit where he met his wife Alfreda, with whom he had a son, Andrew Long Jr.
Allen began his television career in 1984 and worked at WJBK until his retirement in 2012. He later published his memoir titled “We’re Standing By”, in which he recounted his journey and shared stories of his life as a broadcaster.
In his book, he describes his coverage of the Detroit riots in 1975, Rosa Parks’ funeral procession in Washington, and recalls personal stories of his mother, who would feed him and other reporters while they waited for more details to report on the death of former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young.
In his memoir, Allen wrote that it was Coleman Young who gave him the nickname “Columbo”, after the famous TV detective. Allen explained: “He said, ‘Because you wear that big, messy trench coat, stand at the back of the room, and wait until the end to ask the dumbest question.’ And I replied, ‘Really?’ We had some good times.”
Another of his most memorable encounters recounted in his book was with music superstar Aretha Franklin, whom he met during a sound check for a concert she was performing in Detroit.
Al Allen’s Recognitions
Throughout his more than 50-year career, Allen received numerous awards both locally and nationally in recognition of his journalistic work. United Press International and the Associated Press honored him for his coverage of the murder of Otto Wendell, a supporter of Jimmy Hoffa. Additionally, UPI, AP, and the National Association of Black Journalists awarded him for his report “Merry-Go-Round of Denial: The Black Alcoholic.”
His groundbreaking work in the documentary “Crime by Color, Black on Black”, which addressed issues related to community crime in Detroit, earned him the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award. He also received an Associated Press award for his report “Motown: Where Did Our Love Go?”, which was nominated for an Emmy by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
In 2019, the Wayne State University Journalism School awarded him the prestigious Working in the Spirit of Diversity award. He was also inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame.
