Disc jockeys hold an important place in popular music, bridging the gap between artists and listeners. Many famous DJs have been instrumental in bringing the latest music to the masses. One name that doesn’t come up often, however, is the game-changing Mary Dee, the first Black female disc jockey in the United States, who broadcast from the Hill District.
Mary Dee was revolutionary. Among the first DJs to become a national figure, her show on Pittsburgh’s WHOD attracted hundreds of thousands of listeners from 1948 to 1956. At the height of her popularity, she had a studio, interviewed celebrities, hosted public events, and promoted new talent. She also used her status to bring attention to issues in the Black community. After she left Pittsburgh in 1956, she remained on air and became a fixture in Baltimore and Philadelphia until her death in 1964.
Dee was born Mary Elizabeth Goode Dudley in 1912 in Homestead PA. Her parents, William and Mary, the children of enslaved people, moved to the Pittsburgh area in the late 1800s. Driven and keen to express herself, Dee graduated from St. Mann Radio School in Pittsburgh in 1948, and when WHOD started up soon after, she applied for a job. Though the station turned her down, she persisted and was finally offered a show on the condition she found sponsorship. After securing backing, the 15-minute “Movin’ Around with Mary Dee” went on the air and quickly exploded in popularity.
Within months, her airtime increased to an hour, and she soon had a new segment, the highly successful, faith-based “Gospel Train”. People from all walks of life would tune in to hear her. By the 1950s, she had established herself as WHOD’s shining star, interviewing Jackie Robinson, Sarah Vaughn, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Eartha Kitt, and countless other celebrities. In 1951, the station gifted her "Studio Dee" on the corner of Centre and Herron Avenues in the Hill.
Dee gave to her community as much as it gave her. Committed to civil rights, she used her platform to address Black issues of the day. She frequently had her brother, Malvin “Mal” Goode, a reporter with the Courier, on her show to cover Black news. Goode, who went on to become the first Black newsman employed by ABC, tackled the latest in segregation and police brutality. Dee also believed in giving a voice to young people. She played music popular with teenagers, such as rock and roll, emceed teen clubs, and had a teen segment hosted by her daughter Sherlynn, or “Little Dee”. Additionally, she promoted the careers of obscure up-and-comers and served as a mentor for Black children, such as future guitarist George Benson.
Unfortunately, not everything went smoothly. In 1952, she divorced her abusive husband Franklin, who left her to raise their children alone. While she and WHOD were generally popular, they faced racist backlash from some listeners. In 1955, the station was sold to buyers who converted it into WAMO, a country showcase. In 1956, Dee, her brother, and the four other Black employees were fired, with owner Leonard Walk citing competition in the “Negro market.”
While Dee lost her studio, she wouldn’t stay down. She moved to Baltimore and continued working, before coming to Philadelphia to start a show in 1958, invited by her friend Dolly Banks who ran a local station.. With her new program, “Songs of Faith”, Dee came back to the mainstream, winning greater popularity than ever before. She remained active in the Black community, joining the NAACP and the National Council of Negro Women, as well as being among the first African Americans accepted into American Women of Radio and Television. By the time of her death on March 17th, 1964, she had become legendary, and 3,000 people attended her Philadelphia funeral.
“Legendary” describes Mary Dee best. A trailblazer, she not only created a path for many Black women to follow, but through her connection with the society around her, from the Hill to America at large, she helped set the stage for what DJs are supposed to be. She played records others weren’t willing to play and spoke about topics others wouldn’t cover.
