Dianne White Clatto

Dianne White Clatto (1938–2015), best known during her professional career as Dianne White, was an American weathercaster, news anchor, and public servant. She was best known for her role as the first African-American weathercaster in the United States, and also served as a news anchor. After she left television, she worked as a special assistant to Mayor Francis Slay.

Biography Clatto was born on December 28, 1938, in St. Louis as Dianne Elizabeth Johnson. She studied piano and classical ballet in her youth and attended the Sumner High School, a segregated school in St. Louis. She went on to earn her BA in psychiatric social work from the University of Missouri at Columbia, where she was one of 8 black students out of 14,000 students, and worked as a clothing model, becoming the first African-American fashion model for stores like Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis. She has recounted that during her first show, just before she went on, she had diarrhea, but ultimately made it on in time. During her time as weathercaster, she faced racism from callers and the audience, and faced further racism during her pregnancy.

She was let go in 1986, and sued KSDK for age discrimination and harassment. She won the case and was awarded $110,000, close to three times her then-annual salary. as a special assistant for Francis Slay, while still hosting a show. She is in the Missouri Media Hall of Fame and St. Louis Media Hall of Fame.