Celebrating Ralph Jennings, trailblazer alongside Everett Parker and in radio

The United Church of Christ (UCC) Media Justice Ministry was sad to learn that Ralph Jennings, a key aide to Everett Parker, passed away earlier this month at the age of 86. Ralph Jennings started his career in radio, joined Everett Parker in his work, and then went on to be the core creative vision in the famed WFUV noncommercial radio station at Fordham University. From 1968-1980, Jennings was deputy director in the Office of Communications, United Church of Christ. He worked with director Everett C. Parker to challenge the licenses of radio and television stations practicing racial and gender bias in hiring and programming. During his time at the UCC, Jennings was known for his role in compiling race and gender employment data at a time when the Federal Communications Commission was not doing so. Jennings went on to reimagine WFUV, the public radio station based at Fordham, which is still admired nationwide for its innovative content. UCC Media Justice celebrates Ralph Jennings’s life and will continue to work to create media structures that reflect the full diversity of our country and are accountable to the communities they serve.