Published by McFarland Press, Encyclopedia of Black Radio in the United States, 1921-1955 represents the most comprehensive overview of African American actors, musicians, writers, and series on radio during the medium’s first 35 years of commercial broadcasting. Also included are some of the most famous white men and women who wrote about or portrayed African American characters during this era.

Utilizing newspaper reviews, scripts, and historical interviews in addition to other scholarly works, this book explores over 300 individuals, groups, and radio programs, many of which have received little or no attention in other publications about historical black radio.

Encyclopedia of Black Radio in the United States, 1921-1955 is currently for sale here by McFarland, both in hardback and electronic editions.

Hear Ryan discuss his book, Encyclopedia of Black Radio in the United States, 1921-1955, with J. Schafer on Kansas Public Radio. Click here to stream the interview from KPR’s website (Interview from May 29, 2012).

Ryan was a guest on Gregory Abdur-Rasheed’s The Roots and Roots Show on February 20, 2016. Listen to the archived interview.

Reviews

“Recommended.” Choice, Current Reviews for Academic Libraries

“One of the best I’ve seen. . . puts most books on the performing arts to shame.” Jordon Young, Examiner.com

“Thoroughly researched. . . lively.” Booklist

“Enlivens as well as informs.” Tom Gilson, Against the Grain

Corrections and Additions

The problem with any printed work is the inability to correct errors that inevitably occur and reflect new discoveries. I will try to post both corrections and updates here as time allows.
* The entry for Jack Cooper erroneously suggests his All-Negro Hour debuted on WGBS in Chicago. WGBS was a New York station; Cooper’s program debuted on Chicago’s WSBC, as indicated in the entry on All-Negro Hour. (Thanks to Steve Darnell)
* Don Ameci, mentioned (and misspelled) in the Richard Durham entry, is the same Don Ameche of television and film fame. (Thanks to Steve Darnell)
* Old time radio historian Jack French has identified a musical program, Harlem Hospitality Club, which was not included in the entry of Willie Byrant.
* Jack French and radio historian Karl Schadow have found a reference to a New York program called The Negro World which appears to be a news program geared to African American listeners in 1950.
* Hal Jackson, profiled in the book, passed away May 23, 2012. (Thanks to Jack French)

Here’a an early African-American group who appeared on radio ca. 1930 that was not profiled in my book.