Richard Knight

Obituary For Richard Knight

RICHARD EUGENE KNIGHT was born August 30, 1948 in Independence, KS. He was the son of the late Jack Knight and Susie Woods Knight. He received his secondary education from Brunnerdale Minor Seminary in Canton, OH and Bishop Carroll High School in Wichita, KS. To friends he was known affectionately as Dickie or Gene.

Richard held vast interests and talents including photography, film production, music, and entrepreneurship. He grew up in Wichita, KS and became the first African-American in the state to produce and host a public affairs television show. He later worked for collegiate, commercial and public television broadcasters in Lexington, KY, Washington, DC, Columbus, GA, Birmingham, AL, Huntsville, AL and Montgomery, AL. Richard apprenticed with renown photographer, P.H. Polk in Tuskegee, AL. In 1993, his photographs were selected by Alabama Shakespeare Festival for their “Book of Days”. His work has been featured in multiple art exhibits, and he shared his talents through the instruction of students in Alabama State University Communications Department.

Richard’s profound love of music enabled him to host classical radio shows and to organize and promote local jazz concerts. He used his extensive jazz collection to open a used record store, The Record Exchange, in Montgomery, AL, before hosting jazz segments on WVAS. He later networked with the African American Public Radio Consortium to produce and host “Café Jazz”, a program that has aired on over 30 radio stations throughout the country. At home, Richard was an avid cook and coffee connoisseur. He combined these talents and interests to open a coffee shop, Anchor House Fine & Coffee Tea, in downtown Montgomery.

He is preceded in death by his loving parents and two brothers: Cocheese Shields and Michael Shields. Cherished memories are held by his wife of 41 years, Acquanetta Anthony Knight; sons: Damon (Natalie) Knight & Tariq Knight; daughters: Alison Knight & Adrienne Knight; six grandchildren: Ciera Anderson, Damon Knight II, Derica Malone, Kylie Knight, Deric Malone II and Tariq Knight II; four great-grandchildren, along with a host of other relatives, including his niece Christian (Lamond) Latham, and devoted friends.

A memorial service will be held at Resurrection Catholic Church on Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 1:00 pm.