Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. Elayne Hayes-Anthony, a longtime professor and a former temporary acting president of Jackson State University, died Thursday morning, university officials confirmed. Hayes-Anthony was “known for her unwavering commitment to student success and academic excellence,” the university stated in a news release. “She mentored countless aspiring journalists and communications professionals while helping strengthen JSU’s legacy as a leading historically Black university.” Hayes-Anthony was also “deeply committed” to students’ success and “to the advancement of journalism and media education at Jackson State,” Interim President Denise Jones-Gregory said in a statement. “Her leadership in the classroom, within her department and across the institution helped shape generations of communicators and storytellers.” In 2023, Hayes-Anthony, who was born and raised in Jackson, became the first Black woman to serve as president of the Mississippi Broadcasters Association. Elayne Hayes-Anthony, a longtime educator and pioneering broadcast journalist, served as the temporary acting president of Jackson State University. Credit: Molly Minta/Mississippi Today She earned numerous firsts throughout her career. She was the first educator and Black person to serve on the association’s board of directors. She was also the first Black woman news anchor on WJTV Channel 12, according to JSU. She graduated from Jim Hill High School and earned a music scholarship to Jackson State. She graduated from JSU with a degree in speech communication with an emphasis in broadcasting. Hayes-Anthony’s roles at Jackson State included serving as head of the Department of Mass Communications. Her career included teaching at Belhaven University as a tenured professor and serving as the chair of the university’s communications department. She was a member of an education task force appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour, a Republican who served from 2004 to 2012. Barbour also appointed Hayes-Anthony to the State Board of Health in 2007. Republican Gov. Phil Bryant, who served from 2012 to 2020, reappointed her to a six-year term in 2013. Hayes-Anthony is survived by her husband, Eddie Anthony; her son, Willard Anthony; and her grandson, Aiden Anthony. This story will be updated. ...read more read less