Many black owned and operated radio stations stand-alones face the same risks as a prize fighter. Spawned in the slums of the city, fighting for economic and spiritual survival, they daily face the possibility of death.
Black radio is the latest entry on the endangered species list.
Born only 50 years ago, black-owned, independently run stations are facing extinction, suffocating under the heavy weight of consolidation. Consolidation has led directly to downsizing, format changes, and the lowest number of black-owned stations in decades. Black music radio was born just a few years after the second World War. Returning black soldiers, who had fought hard for a double victory victory against fascism abroad and racism at home rejoined a 1940s America still characterized by strict segregation laws and unprosecuted lynchings. It took years and a heavyweight contender named Martin Luther King, who used an unconventional non-violent strategy to win the championship fight that led to the Civil Rights Act guaranteeing freedom, justice, and equality for all people.