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Madeline W. Murphy
Madeline Murphy, the civil rights firebrand and AFRO journalist, perhaps best known for her take no prisoners, pull no punches delivery on the popular local television show, "Square Off," died of a massive heart attack this week at age 84.
"She had a very attractive appearance, very articulate but, I never would have thought that underneath that appearance was a volcano," said former Baltimore mayor Thomas D'Alesandro, III during a television interview reflecting on when he first got to know Murphy when he was a city councilman.
That volcano beneath the attractive exterior would often erupt during tapings of the popular "Square Off' show in the '70s and '80s and one of Murphy's main adversaries was former educator Boyse Mosley who said, "She was just a grand lady."
"Madeline was extremely intelligent, great sense of humor and dedicated to what she believed in. But, she respected other people's opinion and she respected mine although we didn't agree," added Mosley known as one of Baltimore's iron clad conservatives. "We would have our arguments on air and after the camera went off we'd look at each other and laugh," said Mosley with a chuckle.
Murphy would exhibit that mixture of intellect, passion...