Flo Anthony, the trailblazing entertainment journalist known for becoming the first Black woman to work in the New York Post’s entertainment and Page Six departments, died Thursday, August 6, after a battle with cancer. She was 74.
The news was first reported by the New York Amsterdam News. Jack Hirsch — biographer of Anthony’s husband, boxing legend and St. Louis native Michael Spinks — announced her passing.
Before entering journalism, Anthony built her career as a publicist for some of boxing’s biggest figures, including Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Butch Lewis, Mike McCallum and her future husband, Michael Spinks.
She later became the first Black woman to write for a supermarket tabloid through her National Examiner column, “Eye on the Stars.”
Anthony and Spinks became romantically linked in 1987. The couple married in January of this year.
I don’t know if you remember me from the projects. My name was Cheryl Sherrod back then but I am truly sorry for your loss. I loss my husband four years ago on my 64th birthday after 37 years of marriage and even though he had been sick for years it left me feeling null and void but for you to have to go through this twice in a life time I just wanted you to know that my heart goes out to you and of course your daughter who has loss a second mother. I will keep the both of you in my prayers, May God bless and protect your family.