It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of retired Associate Professor Ted Folarin Roberts. Professor Roberts, former chair of the Howard University School of Communications’ Department of Radio, Television, and Film; Fulbright Scholar; author; and award-winning international radio producer, announcer, and manager (Voice of America, Sierra Leone, and Liberian Broadcasting), passed away on March 5, 2021. He was 80 years old. 

During 40-plus years of teaching, Professor Roberts inspired generations of Howard University students with his energetic willingness to share his professional knowledge and wisdom. He was highly regarded by his HU colleagues, as well as by his global radio listeners who knew him as “Uncle Ted.” 

Upon his retirement in 2013, Professor Roberts wrote:  

Howard University has been my political commitment for almost my entire teaching career. I have done stints at universities in Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guyana, but Howard has always been home.



Throughout this time and to the present, I have enjoyed the most amazing support and love from all the Howard staff regardless of their areas of responsibility, section, division or service. … My colleagues have been fantastic. Whatever my own contribution, I have traded on their brilliance and dedication and bathed in their professionalism and love to help me do my work.

 

As I tell my students during our ‘life’s lessons’ sessions, doors are opening now that were not open in the past, and the great challenges facing minorities is to be ready to enter those doors as they open. No greater tragedy can befall us as minority people than to allow new opportunities to emerge without the concomitant preparedness to meet them. 

Throughout his life, Professor Roberts not only prepared himself to tackle and master new media horizons, but he consistently and with dedication inspired his students and radio listeners to do the same. He will be sorely missed, and we send our heartfelt condolences to his family.

Professor Ted Roberts’ virtual funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m. EDT via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86882886353?pwd=TVVodXpCOFcxVGxwamJENVlFLzlSZz09.

Meeting ID: 868 8288 6353

Passcode: UncleT –or- 862538

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Sonja Williams

Professor & Interim Chair

Department of Media, Journalism, and Film

Cathy Hughes School of Communications

Howard University