Roy Wood Sr. facts for kids

Roy Norris Wood Sr. (born September 15, 1915 – died October 15, 1995) was an amazing African American pioneer in radio. He was a journalist, a TV host, a college professor, and even started his own businesses. Roy Wood Sr. helped create the National Black Network. This was one of the first radio networks made just for African Americans. He also hosted a TV show called Black's View on the News.

Early Life and Learning

Growing Up and Family

Roy Wood Sr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia. His father was a doctor, but he passed away when Roy was only three years old. His mother, Rosalie, was very smart. She was one of the first Black women in Georgia to become a certified public accountant (CPA). This means she was an expert in managing money for businesses. Roy grew up in Chicago.

School Days

Roy Wood Sr. went to Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago. After high school, he earned a bachelor's degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta in 1937. Later, in 1946, he got a master's degree in Communications from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He also studied radio announcing and newscasting at Columbia College Chicago.

Roy Wood Sr.'s Career Journey

Starting in Journalism

Roy Wood Sr. began his career in journalism very young, at just 17 years old, in 1932. He worked for Jack L. Cooper in Chicago.

Early Radio Jobs

His first full-time radio job was in 1949 at WJVA in Mishawaka, Indiana. He was an announcer on the morning show, Sunrise Serenade. From 1950 to 1953, he worked at WIBC radio in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was the first African American announcer at a major radio station connected to the Mutual Broadcasting System. He hosted music shows and read the news.

Roy Wood Sr. also worked as a disc jockey (DJ) at WJLD-AM/WJLD-FM in Birmingham, Alabama. He was the first Black radio DJ at that station. He then became a program director and DJ at KATZ (AM) in St. Louis, Missouri. He also worked as an announcer at WHFC radio and WGES Radio in Chicago.

News Reporter and TV Host

From 1961 to 1963, Roy Wood Sr. was a news reporter at WYNR radio in Chicago. He also worked at Channel 26 TV in Chicago from 1968 to 1970. There, he produced and hosted Black's View on the News. During this time, he also created a radio documentary series called Footsteps to Democracy.

From 1963 to 1972, he was the news director at WVON Radio in Chicago. He was a very important newsman there. He reported on the experiences of Black soldiers in the Vietnam War. He shared news about the racism they faced and helped families in Chicago connect with their loved ones serving overseas.

Creating the National Black Network

In 1972, Roy Wood Sr. helped start the National Black Network (NBN). This was a huge step, as it was the first radio network owned by Black people. As the National News Director and Vice President, he found talented people to work in the newsroom.

He also hosted and anchored One Black Man's Opinion. This was a popular radio series on the National Black Network. It was broadcast on over 90 stations across the United States. The show focused on the experiences of Black people in America. He also hosted a daily talk show called Cold Hard Facts on WVAS at Alabama State University.

Teaching and Mentoring

Roy Wood Sr. was also a college professor. He taught journalism and broadcast speech at Malcolm X College in Chicago. He was also a professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He gave lectures at other famous schools too, like Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and his own alma mater, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Helping Don Cornelius

Roy Wood Sr. played a big part in helping Don Cornelius start his career. Don Cornelius was a police officer who pulled Roy Wood Sr. over for speeding. Roy Wood Sr. noticed how nice Don's voice was. He told him he should work in radio and gave him his business card. Roy Wood Sr. became a mentor to Don. He hired him to be an announcer, news reporter, and DJ at WVON. Roy Wood Sr. even lent Don Cornelius money to help start Soul Train. Soul Train became a very popular TV show across the country.

Personal Life

Roy Wood Sr. was in a serious car accident. He said this injury led him to feel sad and withdrawn. A psychiatrist suggested he go back to school to become a radio announcer because he had a pleasant voice.

He was married to Louise Hurt Wood, and they had two sons. One of their sons, Roy L. Wood, became a news anchorman. Later, Roy Wood Sr. married Joyce Dugan Wood. They had a son named Roy Wood Jr., who is a famous comedian and correspondent for The Daily Show.

Roy Wood Sr. passed away in Birmingham, Alabama, at the age of 80.

Memberships

Roy Wood Sr. was a member of many important groups:

• Alpha Phi Alpha
• Chicago Urban League
• Concerned Parents of South Shore
• NAACP
• National Association of TV and Radio Announcers
• Southern Christian Leadership Conference
• The Black Media Reps (a group for Black journalists)
• YMCA

Leadership Roles

Roy Wood Sr. also held leadership positions on the boards of several organizations:

• American Federation of TV and Radio Artists (AFTRA)
• Alpha Phi Alpha
• B.A.M.A. (a group for Southern Black broadcasters)
• Boy Scouts of America, Ft. Dearborn Division
• Chicago Mental Health Commission
• Chicago Press Club
• Coalition of Westside Community Organizations
• Illinois News Broadcasters Association (INBA)
• Operation P.U.S.H. (People United to Save, etc.)
• Radio Television News Directors Association (RTNDA)
• Sears YMCA
• Sigma Delta Chi
• South Shore Property Owners Association
• The Headline Club

Honors and Awards

Roy Wood Sr. received many awards for his work:

• 1967: Humanitarian Award
• 1968: ACOR, Gold Mike Award, for Best Editorial
• 1968: Best new TV show for Black's View on the News
• 1969: American Friendship Award
• 1969: Emmy Award, nominee for local TV
• 1970: KOCO, Concerned Citizens Award
• 1970: YMCA, Good Citizenship Award
• 1971: ACOR, Gold Mike Award for Crime Stop
• 1972: Malcolm X College, Certificate of Merit
• 1979: Wendell Phillips Academy High School, Hall of Fame
• 1993: National Association of Black Journalists, Lifetime Achievement Award

Selected Shows and Programs

Here are some of the shows Roy Wood Sr. worked on:

• 1949-1950: Sunrise Serenade (morning radio show)
• 1950-1953: The Oldtimer (radio serial)
• 1968-1970: Black's View on the News (TV news program)
• 1968-1971: Footsteps to Democracy (radio documentary series)
• One Black Man's Opinion (syndicated news program)
• Cold Hard Facts (daily talk show)