Mary Dee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Dee
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Dee, 1951
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| Born |
Mary Elizabeth Goode
April 8, 1912 |
| Died | March 17, 1964 (aged 51) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
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| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Mary Dudley, Mary Dee Dudley, Mary Goode Dudley |
| Education | Howard University |
| Occupation | Radio personality and activist |
| Years active | 1948–1964 |
Mary Dee (born April 8, 1912 – died March 17, 1964) was a famous radio host. She was known as Mary Dudley on the radio. Many people believe she was the first African-American woman disc jockey (DJ) in the United States.
Mary grew up in Homestead, Pennsylvania. She studied at Howard University for two years. Later, she went to the Si Mann School of Radio in Pittsburgh. On August 1, 1948, she started her radio career at WHOD radio.
Mary Dee became well-known across the country. From 1951 to 1956, she broadcast from her own studio. It was called "Studio Dee" and was in the Hill District of Pittsburgh. Her show, Movin' Around with Mary Dee, then moved to Baltimore. She broadcast from station WSID from 1956 to 1958. In 1958, she moved to Philadelphia. There, she hosted Songs of Faith on WHAT until she passed away in 1964.
Mary Dee was a pioneer in radio. She created a new radio style. It mixed community news, music, and general news. She was one of the first two black women allowed into the Association of American Women in Radio and Television. She also helped fight for the group to stop meeting in places that were segregated. She received many awards for her work in the community. In 2011, she was honored after her death. She received the Thomas J. MacWilliams Lifetime Achievement Award.
Early Life and Education
Mary Elizabeth Goode was born on April 8, 1912. Her hometown was Homestead, Pennsylvania. Her parents were Mary Elizabeth (Hunter) and William H. Goode. Education was very important to her family. Five of her six brothers and sisters went to university.
Mary graduated from Homestead High School. Then she attended Howard University for two years. In the mid-1930s, she married Franklin C. Dudley. They had four children: Yvonne, twins Sherwood and Sherlynn, and Franklin C. Jr. They later divorced. In 1947, Mary enrolled at the Si Mann School of Radio in Pittsburgh. She graduated with high honors.
A Career in Radio
In 1948, a new radio station, WHOD, opened in Homestead. Mary Dudley applied for a job there. She was not hired at first. She spoke to the station manager. He said he would hire her if she could find a sponsor for her show. Mary found a sponsor. She went on the air as Mary Dee on August 1, 1948.
Her first radio show was about events for black women in the area. Within days, her show was extended. It became a 15-minute segment called Movin' Around with Mary Dee. Soon after, it grew to 30 minutes. The next spring, it was an hour long. By her first anniversary, her show was an hour and a half. On her second anniversary, it was two hours. By her fourth year, it was four hours long!
Even though the radio signal was not very strong, Mary Dee gained many fans. She received over 150 fan letters every day. Her fans were from all backgrounds. She had both black and white listeners and sponsors.
Mary Dee created a new way to do radio shows. She combined community news with music and general news. She invited her brother Mal to join her show. Mal was a reporter for the Pittsburgh Courier. He reported on important issues. These included problems like poor housing and segregation.
Mary also brought in other guests. Hazel Garland and Toki Schalk Johnson talked about women's topics. She also had a special part of the show for teenagers. Her music section played new songs by African-American artists. She also featured local talent.
Mary Dee interviewed many famous people. These included singers like Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, and Sarah Vaughan. Her show ended with a gospel section called "Gospel Train." It played music by Mahalia Jackson and other religious singers. Listeners could even request their favorite songs.
In 1950, Ebony magazine wrote about Mary Dee. This helped her become famous across the country. In August 1951, WHOD opened "Studio Dee" for her. It was in the Hill District of Pittsburgh. This area was a center for arts and culture. Fans could watch Mary Dee broadcast from a storefront window. The studio later moved into the Pittsburgh Courier building around 1954.
In 1955, WHOD was sold. The new owners changed the station's music to country and western. They renamed it WAMO in 1956. Mary Dee lost her job. She moved her children to Baltimore. There, she continued her show, Movin' Around with Mary Dee, on WSID.
In 1958, Mary Dee was offered a show at WHAT radio in Philadelphia. She hosted a program called Songs of Faith. This show featured gospel music. It was very popular for the next six years. She also hosted live gospel music concerts. She lived in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood of North Philadelphia.
Mary Dee helped many charities. She often worked with teenagers. She raised money for schools. She also helped young musicians like George Benson start their careers. Every month, she gave away records to community centers and youth homes. She hosted events to raise money for community projects. She received many awards for her civic work.
She was active in groups like Alpha Gamma Chi and Iota Phi Lambda. These were sororities that helped black women. She was also part of the NAACP and the National Council of Negro Women. Mary Dee was one of the first two black women to join the Association of American Women in Radio and Television. The other was Alma John. Together, they worked to make sure the organization would not hold meetings in segregated places.
Later Life and Legacy
Mary Dee passed away on March 17, 1964. She died from colon cancer in Philadelphia. Thousands of people attended her two funeral services. One was in Philadelphia, and the other in Homestead. She was buried in Restland-Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery. The Jones Memorial Baptist Church started a scholarship in her name.
Mary Dee is widely known as the first black woman disc jockey in the United States. In 2011, the Media Association of Pittsburgh honored her. She received the Thomas J. MacWilliams Lifetime Achievement Award.
Images for kids
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Dee, 1951
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William Goode and Mary Dee, 1954 publicity photo
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Dee and her brother Mal in her studio at WHOD in 1952
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l-r: Jackie Robinson, Mary Dee, station owner Dolly Banks, and Martin Luther King Jr., presentation of the Brotherhood Award from the Baptist Ministers' Conference to WHAT radio station, 1962
