Women of the Wheel: Margaret Anderson

Womanica

Acast Creative Studios

History, Society & Culture, Education

4.3 • 920 Ratings

🗓️ 17 September 2025

⏱️ 5 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Margaret Anderson (1959 - present), known as The Ranking Miss P, was a DJ “spinner” in the 1980s, and the first black female DJ on BBC Radio 1. She brought reggae, soul, funk, and Black British culture into the UK mainstream. Miss P didn't just play music, she helped redefine what it means to be a strong and memorable voice on air.

For Further Reading:

This month, we're talking about Women of the Wheel – icons who turned motion into momentum and spun their legacies on spokes, skates and potter's wheels. These women harnessed the power of the axle, pushing their crafts and professions forward through their works and lives.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn't help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we'll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an I-Heart podcast.
0:06.5	Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica.
0:11.3	This month we're talking about women of the wheel, icons who turned motion into momentum
0:15.8	and spun their legacies on spokes, skates, and potter's wheels.
0:20.6	These women harness the power of the axle, pushing their crafts and professions forward
0:24.9	through their works and lives.
0:28.3	Today's Wamanican has spun history on Britain's airwaves for nearly half a century,
0:33.8	serving up blends of reggae, soul, funk, and rock to the ears and hearts of UK listeners.
0:39.4	Please meet the ranking Miss P.
0:42.6	Born Margaret Anderson in London in 1959 to Jamaican parents, she grew up in a house where rhythm was alive.
0:50.2	Her upbringing was steeped in sounds of funk, reggae, and ska, a sonic foundation that would shape her future.
0:56.9	As a young girl, she gravitated towards legends like Bob Marley, the Beatles, and David Bowie.
1:02.7	She was the family DJ, using sound to bring people together at family gatherings and parties.
1:09.6	Margaret initially set her sights on becoming a teacher, but her brother, Leroy, saw something more.
1:15.6	He pushed her to explore a different path, one that he too had gone down.
1:20.0	He founded the Dread Broadcasting Corporation in West London.
1:24.6	The DPC was one of a kind.
1:26.5	It was the first black-owned radio station in Europe, focusing on reggae and other black music. By 1979, Leroy had successfully
1:35.3	convinced Margaret to take a seat in the DJ booth. There was no manual, just a well-loved collection of vinyl,
1:41.9	a microphone, and the freedom to find her creative voice.
1:46.0	That freedom gave rise to the ranking Miss P.
1:49.3	And speaking about the mission of the BBC early on in her career, Ms. P. said,
	...

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