Declarations and Independents

How Chicago DJ Al Benson Brought Black Cultural Production to 1940s Commercial Radio

Bibliographic Data

ID21835342
AuthorsLaura Schnitker (corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume31
Issue1
Pages115-132
Publication date2024-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Radio & Audio Media (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1937-6529 • E-ISSN: 1937-6537
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/19376529.2024.2325076
OpenAlexW4400206011
LanguageEN
References cited18

Al Benson’s legacy as one of the first Black DJs on commercial radio is widely acknowledged in Black radio studies. However, his achievements and contributions warrant inclusion in more interdisciplinary scholarship, particularly in popular music and media histories. This article analyzes a surviving Benson aircheck, first contextualizing his role during the mid-century boom in independent record labels and local radio, then showing how he refashioned popular music narratives as Black-mediated sites of cultural production. Additionally, the modest scope of primary sources available for this study brings critical attention to the need to preserve Black radio voices

Advertising · Business · Economics · Media studies · Political science · Sociology · Telecommunications · Engineering · Music History and Culture · Race, History, and American Society · Radio, Podcasts, and Digital Media

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