Amyre Makupson Biography Favorites Color Navy Blue Food Pizza Quote “Ow, man!” Time of Year Spring Vacation Spot The Caribbean

Detroit television anchor Amyre Porter Makupson was born on September 30, 1947 in River Rouge, Michigan. Her parents, Dr. Rudolph Hannibal and Amyre Ann Porche Porter, sent her to Detroit's Visitation Catholic Elementary School and she graduated from St. Mary's Academy High School in Monroe, Michigan in1965. She earned her B.A. degree in dramatics and speech from Fisk University in 1970 and her M.A. degree in speech arts/communications theory from American University in 1972.

Makupson held positions at WSM-TV in Nashville and WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. before moving back to Detroit in 1975 to work as director of public relations for Head Start, the Michigan Health Maintenance Organization. That same year, Makupson was hired by WGPR-TV, the nation's first African American owned television station, to anchor Big City News and the Detroit focused talk show Porterhouse. In 1977, Makupson joined WKBD-TV as news anchor and public affairs director. At WKBD-TV, she hosted Morning Break, the station's daily talk show, and produced and anchored a five-minute newsbreak. In 1985, Makupson co-anchored WKBD's Ten O'Clock News and anchored Eyewitness News at 11 on WKBD's sister station, WWJ-TV.

Makupson has won five local Emmy awards: Best News Anchor, Best Interview/Discussion Program, and three for Best Commentary. In 1992 and 1995, Makupson won the Oakland County Bar Association Media Award for the show Straight Talk. Named SCLC's Media Person of the Year in 1995 and The March of Dimes' Humanitarian of the Year in 1996, Makupson was inducted into the Silver Circle of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2003. An author, Makupson published So...What's Next?, a book about the hereafter, in 2004. Makupson serves on the boards of The Alzheimer's Foundation, the Sickle Cell Association, the Skillman Foundation, Covenant House, the Providence Hospital Fund, and the March of Dimes. Makupson lives outside of Detroit with her husband, Walter. They have two children.

Makupson was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on April 5, 2005.