Roy Wood, 1995 Oral History
Title
Roy Wood, 1995 Oral History
Description
Roy Wood, interviewed by Gary Richardson on his Morning Show in studio at WJLD. Roy began his radio career in the late 1940’s and became a founder of the National Black Network (now Sheridan Broadcasting) in 1973.
Creator
Roy Wood
Gary Richardson
Publisher
Birmingham Black Radio Museum
Date
September 6, 1995
Contributor
Carlena McClain
Bob Friedman
Emily Bibb
Format
JPG
MP3
PDF
Language
English
Identifier
WoodOH-1995
Interviewer
Gary Richardson
Interviewee
Roy Wood
Transcription
Transcript from audio snippet:
Roy Wood: I have never looked back at color from that point on because what he told me was, it’s not your color, it’s your character, and turpitude, and education that will make progress for you if you decide you want to make progress. Your color doesn’t have any at all to do with it. Well there’s stumbling blocks and people who will try to deny you; if you’re good enough they have to let you pass
Gary Richardson: but how do you get past this notion that we are victims of society, we’re primitive victims of society?
RW: We are primitive victims of society because we have not yet learned and we have a good lesson of it right now with the National Baptist Convention in Birmingham right now
GR: Umm hmm
RW: The oldest organization formed right here in Alabama okay, 8,200,000 people. That’s how many people are members of the National Baptist Convention USA. Then there’s the other one that has about half that million almost 4 million and some odd, in the eastern part of the country; they had an economic conference in Kansas City on August the 20th through the 22nd Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday
GR: Umm hmm
RW: Have we heard any reports about what, can you imagine what the National Baptist Convention consortium of the two biggest most numerous branches, 12 million people, just leave the flotsam and jetsum out there - those little hundreds or thousands that don’t count - take 12 million, the economic development operation which every member forced to buy at least one share of guilted stock for $10 with a guaranteed refund of $50 in 5 years.
Roy Wood: I have never looked back at color from that point on because what he told me was, it’s not your color, it’s your character, and turpitude, and education that will make progress for you if you decide you want to make progress. Your color doesn’t have any at all to do with it. Well there’s stumbling blocks and people who will try to deny you; if you’re good enough they have to let you pass
Gary Richardson: but how do you get past this notion that we are victims of society, we’re primitive victims of society?
RW: We are primitive victims of society because we have not yet learned and we have a good lesson of it right now with the National Baptist Convention in Birmingham right now
GR: Umm hmm
RW: The oldest organization formed right here in Alabama okay, 8,200,000 people. That’s how many people are members of the National Baptist Convention USA. Then there’s the other one that has about half that million almost 4 million and some odd, in the eastern part of the country; they had an economic conference in Kansas City on August the 20th through the 22nd Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday
GR: Umm hmm
RW: Have we heard any reports about what, can you imagine what the National Baptist Convention consortium of the two biggest most numerous branches, 12 million people, just leave the flotsam and jetsum out there - those little hundreds or thousands that don’t count - take 12 million, the economic development operation which every member forced to buy at least one share of guilted stock for $10 with a guaranteed refund of $50 in 5 years.
Duration
Full interview: 25 minutes
Audio snippet: 2 minutes
Audio snippet: 2 minutes
Files
Collection
Citation
Roy Wood and Gary Richardson, “Roy Wood, 1995 Oral History,” The Birmingham Black Radio Museum, accessed September 7, 2026, https://thebbrm.org/item/80.
Item Relations
| This Item | dcterms:relation | Item: Roy Wood, 1994 Oral History |
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