By Tiffany Williams –
BOSTON — The City of Boston officially honored one of its pioneering journalists on Saturday as Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston Public Library celebrated the renaming of the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library in recognition of Sarah-Ann Shaw, Boston’s first Black woman television reporter.
The library, now known as the Shaw-Roxbury Branch Library, commemorates the life and legacy of Sarah-Ann Shaw, whose groundbreaking journalism career, civic leadership and decades of community advocacy left a lasting impact on Boston.
Shaw worked at WBZ-TV in Boston from 1969 until 2000 and spent her life as a proud resident of Roxbury. She died in 2024 at the age of 90.
Saturday’s ceremony brought together city leaders, elected officials, members of the Shaw family and community supporters to recognize Shaw’s contributions to journalism, education and the Roxbury neighborhood.
City officials said the renaming represents both a tribute to Shaw’s professional accomplishments and an effort to ensure future generations understand the significance of her work in expanding representation within television news.
Mayor Michelle Wu said Shaw’s influence extended well beyond journalism.
“Sarah-Ann Shaw’s brilliance in reporting, love for Roxbury, and passion for uplifting stories and communities that might otherwise have been overlooked helped reshape Boston’s media landscape and strengthen civic life across our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “The Shaw-Roxbury branch library will proudly carry her name for all future generations to learn from her legacy and carry forward the values she championed. Thank you to Klare and her entire family and community for their partnership in renaming this branch in her honor.”
According to the City of Boston, officials worked closely with Shaw’s family to identify an appropriate way to permanently recognize her service and contributions to the city.
Mayor Wu and city officials ultimately proposed renaming a municipal building in Shaw’s honor.
In 2025, the Trustees of the Boston Public Library voted overwhelmingly in favor of renaming the Roxbury Branch after Shaw, citing both her longstanding contributions to the Roxbury community and her role in opening doors for Black women working in television journalism.
Following the trustees’ vote, the proposal received formal approval from Mayor Wu and the City’s Public Facilities Commission, which oversees the renaming of municipal buildings.
Shaw’s family described the dedication as a meaningful tribute to both her professional achievements and her lifelong commitment to the Roxbury community.
“Our mother Sarah-Ann Shaw was a treasured Roxbury native, BPS graduate and showed everyone in our community that more is possible. The family is very grateful to Mayor Wu and the Trustees of the Boston Public Library for this recognition of our matriarch,” said Klare Shaw, daughter of Sarah-Ann Shaw. “Whether pushing for community members to be empowered, or collaborating with her colleagues at the “Friends of the Library,” my mom dedicated her life to promoting education, literacy, Black History, and culture in her community. The entire Shaw family is thankful to everyone who knew and loved our mom and made today’s important dedication happen. It’s our hope that young people and future generations will visit this library, learn about her life and discover their passions.”
Boston Public Library President David Leonard said the newly renamed branch reflects Shaw’s lifelong commitment to ensuring Roxbury’s stories were heard.
“Sarah-Ann Shaw spent her career making sure Roxbury’s stories were told with the seriousness they deserved,” said David Leonard, President of the Boston Public Library. “The Shaw-Roxbury Branch will carry that legacy forward for generations of patrons to come.”
Boston Chief of Operations Dion Irish said the renaming creates a permanent reminder of Shaw’s influence on both the city and the neighborhood she called home.
“This renaming ensures that generations to come will walk through the doors of the Shaw-Roxbury Branch Library in Nubian Square knowing more about the story of a trailblazer, activist and champion of education and literacy.” said Dion Irish, Chief of Operations. “Sarah-Ann Shaw had a lifelong relationship of service and dedication to this library, Roxbury, and the City of Boston”
Boston Chief of Human Services José F. Massó also reflected on Shaw’s legacy as both a journalist and community leader.
“The legacy of Sarah-Ann Shaw is one of activism, community uplift, and sharing of untold stories as a journalist,” said José F. Massó, Chief of Human Services. “I can think of no better way to honor her contributions than renaming a library after her, especially in her home neighborhood of Roxbury.”
Members of Massachusetts’ congressional delegation joined city officials in recognizing Shaw’s lasting influence.
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley described Shaw as a pioneering journalist whose work helped elevate the voices of Boston’s Black and brown communities.
“Today we celebrate Sarah-Ann Shaw, a trailblazing, beloved, and proud daughter of Roxbury. Sarah-Ann Shaw dedicated her life to educating and empowering our communities and shattered concrete ceilings while remaining intentional about mentoring other Black journalists here and across the country,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “Her lifelong commitment to shed light on the joy and brilliance of Boston’s Black and brown communities and lift up neighborhood grassroots movements is an inspiration to us all. I’m grateful for her family, for Mayor Wu and the Boston Public Library, and to everyone who advocated for this library renaming as a powerful tribute. May her legacy live on forever in the Roxbury community at the newly renamed Shaw Roxbury Branch Library at Nubian Square.”
State Senator Liz Miranda said Shaw’s reporting ensured that stories from Roxbury were told accurately and respectfully while inspiring future generations.
“Sarah-Ann Shaw was more than an award-winning journalist—she was the conscience of our community. As a proud daughter of Roxbury, she understood that telling our stories truthfully and with dignity was an act of justice. She made sure our neighborhoods, our elders, our young people, and our movements were seen, heard, and remembered at a time when too often they were overlooked. I had the privilege of knowing Sarah-Ann personally, and like so many in Roxbury, I experienced her generosity, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to lifting others as she climbed. Renaming the Roxbury Branch Library in her honor ensures that future generations will know her name and be inspired by her example. It is a fitting tribute to a woman who believed that knowledge, storytelling, and community have the power to transform lives,” said State Senator Liz Miranda.
State Representative Chynah Tyler said the library dedication reinforces Boston’s commitment to recognizing Black history and honoring leaders whose contributions have shaped the city.
“We are living in a time when Black excellence is too often undermined and overlooked, even here in Boston. As a former Trustee of the Boston Public Library, I know how important it is for our libraries to remain inclusive and committed to uplifting Black history and culture. It is a true privilege to support dedicating the Roxbury Branch Library in recognition of Ms. Sarah-Ann Shaw- Boston’s first African American woman television news reporter. Her achievements paved the way for future generations in media, and naming the library in her honor is a compliment to her legacy and reaffirms our commitment to recognizing the lasting contributions of Black leaders who have shaped our city,” said State Representative Chynah Tyler.
State Representative Chris Worrell said Shaw’s work transformed journalism while creating opportunities for others.
“Sarah-Ann Shaw showed us what it meant to lead with integrity, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to our community. She didn’t just make history as Boston’s first Black woman television news journalist—she made sure our stories were told with honesty, dignity, and compassion. She believed in the people of Roxbury and dedicated her life to making sure our voices were heard. Sarah-Ann’s legacy has always been about opening doors for others, and I can think of no more meaningful tribute than renaming a library in our community that will continue opening those doors for generations to come,” said State Representative Chris Worrell.
District 7 City Councilor Miniard Culpepper reflected on Shaw’s influence as both a mentor and community leader.
“Sarah-Ann Shaw dedicated her life to uplifting our community’s voices and sharing our stories. Naming the Roxbury Public Library after her is the ultimate tribute to a woman who embodied the very spirit of community engagement and learning. She was my mentor and my shero, and I am thrilled that future generations will connect with her legacy every time they walk through these doors,” said District 7 City Councilor Miniard Culpepper.
City Councilor At Large Ruthzee Louijeune said the library’s new name will introduce future generations to Shaw’s accomplishments.
“How fitting for the Roxbury branch to be renamed the Shaw-Roxbury Branch Library. Sarah-Ann Shaw loved Roxbury and she loved this library. She was Boston’s first Black woman reporter and now little Black girls in Boston – and everyone else – will know her name. Through her work in journalism, her neighborhood advocacy, and her ability to connect with everyone, and now this library, Sarah-Ann Shaw’s legacy will endure in this city,” said City Councilor At Large Ruthzee Louijeune.
The Shaw-Roxbury Branch Library stands in Nubian Square and traces its history back through more than a century of public library service in Roxbury.
According to the Boston Public Library, the current branch opened in April 1978 after replacing two earlier library locations.
The Mount Pleasant Branch first opened on Vine Street in 1915, while the original Roxbury Branch, which housed the Fellowes Athenaeum, opened on Millmont Street in 1873 and served the community for more than 100 years.
Those two locations were eventually combined to create what is now the largest branch in the Boston Public Library system, serving residents throughout Roxbury.
With Saturday’s dedication, the branch now permanently bears the name of Sarah-Ann Shaw, preserving the legacy of a journalist whose work helped transform television news in Boston while maintaining a lifelong commitment to education, literacy and the Roxbury community she proudly called home.