7 Black Pioneers Every Podcaster Should Be Thankful For
Hey, Podcasters! Do you ever stop to think about the brilliant minds that paved the way for you to share your voice with the world?
No, we’re not talking about your grandma who always told you you had a gift for gab (a.k.a. you talk too much). We’re talking about true heroes - the black pioneers that paved the way for everyone in the industry.
These innovators took the world by storm and it’s important we recognize their contributors in the podcasting industry. So sit back, hold on to your mic, and get ready to learn about the seven black pioneers you never knew you needed to thank!
James E. West
James E. West - The Inventor of the Modern Microphone.
Would podcasting have ever gone mainstream if we didn’t have quality and accessible mics?
We don’t think so.
West co-invented the foil electret microphone in 1962 with Gerhard Sessler. The tiny device was a cheaper, smaller, and more convenient alternative to a standard condenser mic. Now, thanks to West and his team, we have accessible mic options at our fingertips since the device is in almost all devices that pick up sounds, like laptops, mobile phones, lavaliers, and recorders.
Ida B. Wells
Ida B. Wells (1862-1931) - The Pioneer of Data-Driven Investigative Reporting
Every investigative reporter everywhere should probably have a shrine to Ida B. Wells next to their desks to thank her for her contributions to their profession.
Hello true crime pods, where are you?
Born into slavery, she came of age during Reconstruction and by age 27 was the editor and co-owner of an African-American newspaper in Memphis called, Freedom of Speech and the Headlight.
She was a crusader for justice and become known for her investigative reporting on the terror tactics, like lynching, used to harass, suppress, and intimidate Black people. Her research was backed by statistics, data, interviews, and first-hand reports of the violence, effectively challenging the myth that lynchings were the result of serious crimes committed by lynching victims.
Her data-driven reporting pioneered investigative reporting across the country and showed that white Southerners often used terror tactics to suppress Black enterprise and regain social and economic dominance.
Dr. Victor Lawrence
Dr. Victor B. Lawrence - The Telecommunications Genius
Video podcasters should be especially grateful for Dr. Lawrence's pioneering methods that made it possible to include more information in a signal.
Why does this matter?
Because Communication systems use signal processing across satellite, video, radio, and wireless systems, making the processing and transmission of data more efficient. Dr. Lawrence’s work facilitated the development of high-definition, digital television and helped introduce digital video and radio to the world.
If you love Youtube or anything related to digital video you have Dr. Lawrence to thank.
Marian R. Croak
Marian R. Croak - The Hall of Famer
Marian Croak was inducted into Women in Technology International’s Hall of Fame as recognition for her incredible achievements in tech. She is a Vice President of Engineering at Google. She was previously the Senior Vice President of Research and Development at AT&T. She also holds 135 patents, many of them in voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP).
So, what is VoIP?
It’s a technology that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line. If you use a computer or an electronic device, like a tablet or smartphone, you're going to need some sort of voice over IP software, VOIP. This allows you to communicate with others using a data connection, and it was essential to the beginnings of remote podcasting.
Jack L. Cooper
Jack L. Cooper (1888-1970) - The Radio Trailblazer
Jack L. Cooper was the first African-American radio disc jockey, described as "the undisputed patriarch of Black radio in the United States."
The exact date is hard to pin down, but sometime around 1923, Cooper became the first Black radio announcer in Washington DC at station WCAP. Although he was hired at the station, Washing DC was segregated and he was forced to enter the station from the rear door. He eventually moved to back to Chicago and by the late 1920s, he had his own variety show called, “The All Colored Hour.” He developed a personal style thought to be the precursor to the later DJ approach to rhyming with the music, introducing a generation of young Black listeners to a new genre of radio. Cooper’s career in radio spanned 30 years and in 2012, he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
It’s not a hard jump from radio to podcasting, and it is not hard to imagine that Cooper paved the way for radio DJs who would eventually influence many podcasters.
Mark Dean
Mark Dean - The Inventor
Computer engineer Mark Dean was one of the 12 engineers chosen to build the IBM PC, and holds three patents for being the personal computer's co-creator. Dean was in charge of engineering the computer's communication system, known as a “bus”, which allowed separate devices to connect to the main PC. He also developed a graphics adapter, which allowed future models to display color graphics and video.
He was also the first Black IBM Fellow. Now, Dean serves as a professor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
Dean was key to inventing the personal computer and without the personal computer, we doubt that podcasting ever takes off.
Lisa Gelobter
Lisa Gelobter - The Computer Scientist
As a computer scientist, Gelobter was the project manager who led the product development team during the release of Shockwave and Flash. Gelobter eventually wrote the code for Shockwave's ActiveX plugin for Internet Explorer, one of the key technologies allowing content creators to publish video and other multimedia content on the web. Millions of content creators have since used Shockwave to publish videos, animations, and other multimedia.
An adaptable and multifaceted media expert, Gelobter went on to establish business operations for the launch of television streaming service Hulu.”
There you have it! The seven black pioneers that every podcaster should be thankful for. If you’re an indie creator or professional existing anywhere in the podcasting space, or just generally love podcasts, you should thank them!
Footnotes:
Vince Dickson, 28 Black Pioneers In Journalism, Design and Technology, (Code Review, 2020).
How Victor Lawrence Paved The Way For Global Telecommunications, (National Inventors Hall of Fame, Leaders In Innovation, 2023).
Ross Coen, Lisa Gelobter, (Black Pasts, 2020).
Tamara Lawrence, 10 Black Technology Pioneers, (Engage Partnership, 2023).
Wikipedia, Jack L. Cooper.
Donna Halper, African Americans and Early Radio, (Lest We Forget, Hampton University, 1999).
Wikipedia, Mark Dean.