The on-air light lit up the dark studio and he was on. Like all disc jockeys, he wooed his audience. But there was something very different about this DJ and because of this difference

he'd go down in history. This is too many black history. What you didn't learn in school. Al Benson started as a creature in 1920s Mississippi, but that was just the beginning of his ability to touch people's lives

with his words.

By the time the Great Depression rolled around, he and his family had left the South and he discovered another even more powerful professional.

Now in Chicago, he traded his Bible for Bebopfine.

Benson became a local radio station, D his show was the only hour of radio our

people had on the airwaves, but there was something else. While other DJ stuck to boring scripts and read to their viewers, Benson defied the norms and spoke

the local vernacular.

He used the speech of black people in his community.

He wasn't finished revpping black voices yet, however.

Against radio rules that refuse to recognize our businesses, Benson proudly advertised black businesses and services.

And as more black DJ sought to get on the air, Benson took them under his wing.

He expanded his influence to create a television. Benson took them under his wing.

He expanded his influence to create a television show, record shops, a nightclub, concert promotion,

a home studio, and several record labels. Benson used his platform to transform the way our

people experience radio. Even now, your favorite radio show or podcast uses what he brought to black entertainment.

Like Al Benton, we must remember that our innovation can pave the way for generations to come. In order to move towards the future, you've

got to look to the past. This has been two minute black history, a podcast by Push Black.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to show your support,

please rate and subscribe to our podcast. Together, let's celebrate and honor the legacy of black history. You're going to.