Petey Greene facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Petey Greene
Born	Ralph Waldo Greene, Jr. (1931-01-23)January 23, 1931 Washington, D.C., United States
Died	January 10, 1984(1984-01-10) (aged 52) Washington, D.C., United States
Spouse(s)	Judy Greene
Children	4
Career
Station(s)	WOL WDCA
Style	Radio talk show host
Country	United States

Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene, Jr. (born January 23, 1931 – died January 10, 1984) was an American television and radio host. He won two Emmy Awards. Petey Greene faced challenges in his early life, including time spent in prison. He later became a very well-known media person in Washington, D.C.. On his shows, Greene often talked about important topics like racism, poverty, and current events.

Petey Greene's Early Life

Petey Greene was born Ralph Waldo Greene, Jr. in Washington, D.C.. His parents were Ralph Waldo Greene, Sr. and Jacqueline Abernathy Greene. He was raised by his grandmother, Margaret "Maggie" Floyd, whom he called "Aunt Pig."

Greene went to Stevens Elementary School and Cardozo Senior High School in Washington. He left high school early and joined the United States Army when he was 16 years old in 1947. He served as a medic in the Korean War and left the Army in 1953.

In 1960, Greene spent time in a correctional facility in Fairfax County, Virginia. While there, he became the prison's disc jockey. This made him popular with the other prisoners. His good behavior helped him leave earlier.

Petey Greene's Media Career

In the summer of 1966, Dewey Hughes hired Petey Greene to be a disc jockey at the AM radio station WOL/1450. He also got his own show. His radio show, Rapping With Petey Greene, was heard in the Washington Metropolitan Area during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Petey Greene became more and more famous. Soon, he was hosting his own television show called Petey Greene's Washington. This show ran for six years, from 1976 to 1982, on WDCA/20. His TV show won two Emmy Awards.

On March 8, 1978, Petey Greene was invited to the White House by United States President Jimmy Carter. This event honored the visiting President of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito. Greene famously joked to The Washington Post that he "stole a spoon" during the fancy evening party.

In 1981, Petey Greene had radio personality Howard Stern on his show. This was one of Stern's first times on television. Stern appeared on the show in blackface, which Greene found funny. The audio from this interview was later used in a 2007 radio documentary. Stern called Greene "way ahead of his time." Both Greene and Stern talked about important and sometimes difficult topics like race and politics. Stern later called Greene a "broadcasting genius" in his 1993 book Private Parts.

Community Activism

Besides being a radio and TV host, Petey Greene was also a community activist. He joined the United Planning Organization. He also started the Ralph Waldo Greene Community Centre and Efforts for Ex-Convicts. This group still helps former prisoners find success in good ways. It also works to improve prisons.

Greene spoke out against poverty and racism on his shows and in public. He took part in demonstrations when he was very popular. After the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1968, riots broke out across the United States. Petey Greene made statements on the radio that helped calm the riots in Washington, D.C.

Petey Greene's Death

Petey Greene was diagnosed with liver cancer in 1982. Because of his declining health, he stopped working in radio and television. Greene passed away on January 10, 1984. This was thirteen days before his 53rd birthday.

He was survived by his wife, Judy C. Greene, and their four children: Ralph Waldo III, Petra, Renee, and Melanie. About 10,000 people came to Union Wesley AME Zion Church to pay their respects.

Petey Greene's Legacy

Petey Greene's autobiography, Laugh If You Like, Ain't a **** Thing Funny, was published in 2003. This book was created from conversations recorded between Greene and author Lurma Rackley.

Greene was played by Don Cheadle in the 2007 film Talk to Me. This movie was inspired by his life and career.

Greene was also featured in a 2009 episode of the PBS series Independent Lens. The episode was called "Adjust Your Colour: The Truth of Petey Greene".

Petey Greene's friend, Charlie Puttkammer, was inspired by Greene's life. He started the Petey Greene Program in his honor. This program aims to improve education services in jails and prisons. It also gives college students a chance to help incarcerated students with their schoolwork.

Images for kids

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  Petey Greene, a famous radio and TV host.

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