Television journalist, educator, and civil rights advocate Tony Brown, whose groundbreaking public affairs program “Tony Brown”s Journal” became one of the longest-running series in PBS history, died June 17. He was 93; his family announced his passing on his Facebook page.

Brown spent more than four decades amplifying Black voices through journalism, education, and advocacy. As the host and executive producer of the show, he examined issues affecting African Americans through interviews, documentaries, and public affairs programming that reached audiences nationwide.

Born William Anthony Brown in Charleston, W. Va., Brown served in the U.S. Army before earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Wayne State University in Detroit. His journalism career began in 1962 as a drama critic for the Detroit Courier, where he later became editor before moving into public television broadcasting.

Brown joined Detroit public television station WTVS in 1968, producing programs focused on the Black community. Two years later, he became executive producer and host of Black Journal, a nationally televised public affairs program that later evolved into “Tony Brown”s Journal.” After securing commercial sponsorship in 1977, the program continued airing on public television, ultimately becoming one of the network’s longest-running programs.

Throughout his career, Brown challenged institutions and promoted economic empowerment, education, and self-reliance. The Facebook announcement described him as a champion of “self-help” whose work consistently emphasized truth, accountability, and opportunity.

“We mourn the passing of Tony Brown, a singular force in public television who for nearly four decades gave his PBS audience honest and necessary conversations about difficult topics, from politics to race and culture,” said Paula Kerger, PBS President and CEO, in a statement. “Like few others, Tony understood the power of television to shape how people see one another and how they see themselves.”

In addition to his broadcasting career, Brown helped shape journalism education. He founded the School of Communications at Howard University in 1971 and later served as the first dean of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications at Hampton University.

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