CBS News Colorado photographer honored with legacy award from Colorado Association of Black Journalists

CBS News Colorado Chief Photographer Kevin Hartfield was honored with the Colorado Association of Black Journalists' legacy award at its 2025 Scholarship Gala and Awards Ceremony on Saturday.

Hartfield has worked at CBS News Colorado for 41 years, worked in journalism for about 50 years, and has earned several awards along the way. In Hartfield's speech at the award ceremony, he thanked God, his family, and colleagues.

In accepting the award, Hartfield said, "it's an honor." He went on to ask of his fellow journalists, "are you doing this for the awards or are you doing it for the rewards?" referring to the benefits of journalism to an informed community and healthy democracy.

Hartfield is "a member of our organization who helped pave the way for the journalism profession and continues to fight for our rights," said Richard Butler, a multimedia journalist at Denver7, who introduced Hartfield and announced the award at the ceremony.

In his time at CBS News Colorado, Hartfield has served as a photographer, producer, and senior editor before becoming chief photographer. In that time, he's won seven Emmy Awards, three Edward R. Murrow Awards, Photojournalist of the Year three times by the Colorado Association of Black Journalists, and won a Peabody Award with late CBS Colorado Reporter Rick Sallinger for their story How Far Will the Army Go? In addition to that award, the story caused the U.S. Army to issue a temporary freeze on recruiting.

Hartfield also serves on the faculty of the National Press Photographers Association's TV News Workshop.

"Kevin brings his years of experience and his passion for learning into our newsroom every day," said CBS Colorado Station Manager and News Director Kristine Strain. "He connects innovation to legacy. We call Kevin our boss of video because he oversees photographers, editors, and works with our MMJs on their skills. We would be lost without Kevin."