The National Negro Network was a black-oriented

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmi ...

programming service in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

founded on January 20, 1954 by Chicago advertiser W. Leonard Evans, Jr. It was the first black-owned radio network in the country, and its programming was broadcast on up to 45 affiliates. An article in the trade publication

Broadcasting Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum ( radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting beg ...

said that the network was expected "to reach approximately 12 million of the 15 million Negroes in America." Evans was the network's president. Reggie Schuebel was vice president-treasurer, and John M. Wyatt was executive vice president. The network featured a variety of different programming, including a popular

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

'' The Story of Ruby Valentine'', which was based on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

's '' We Love and Learn'' and '' As the Twig is Bent'', and starred

Juanita Hall Juanita Hall (née Long, November 6, 1901 – February 29, 1968) was an American musical theatre and film actress. She is remembered for her roles in the original stage and screen versions of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals ''South Pacific'' ...

, Ruby Dee and Terry Carter. The serial was sponsored by, among others, Philip Morris and Pet Milk. Other short-lived series included '' The Life of Anna Lewis'' with

Hilda Simms Hilda Simms ( Moses; April 15, 1918 – February 6, 1994) was an American stage actress, best known for her starring role on Broadway in '' Anna Lucasta''. Early years Hilda Simms was born Hilda Moses in Minneapolis, Minnesota, one of 9 siblings ...

, and '' It's A Mystery Man'' with Cab Calloway. Some shows were produced by Calloway and

Ethel Waters Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was an American singer and actress. Waters frequently performed jazz, swing, and pop music on the Broadway stage and in concerts. She began her career in the 1920s singing blues. Her no ...

. Other fare included broadcasts of symphony concerts from black colleges, and programs hosted by black DJs at affiliate stations. The network drew up plans for several more series, but—with the TV era exploding—fell apart within a year due to inadequate capital. Jason Chambers wrote in his book, ''Madison Avenue and the Color Line: African Americans in the Advertising Industry'', that Evans felt that advertising agencies were hesitant to recommend NNN to clients. "Agencies are aware of our existence and watch our growth closely," Evans said, "but ... are still reluctant to come right out and make a recommendation or usingNegro radio, preferring to keep campaigns at a 'test' level while watching to see what others do."

Notes, References

1954 establishments in the United States African-American cultural history Defunct radio networks in the United States Defunct radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1954 1955 disestablishments in the United States Radio stations disestablished in 1955 {{US-bcast-stub