WVON's Broadcast Pioneer Wesley South Passes Away

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jan 11, 2010 6:40PM

Wesley South, one of the first African-American graduates of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism as well as a pioneer broadcaster for WVON, passed away from natural causes at his home over the weekend. South was a journalist for the Chicago Defender, the Chicago American, the Chicago Daily News, and Johnson Publishing Company but will most be remembered for his radio show "Hotline" on WVON. South began the show in 1963 and through it interviewed key Civil Rights figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert Kennedy, Malcom X, and gave one of the last interviews with Medgar Evers before his murder in June of 1963. South, along with Pervis Spann, founded Midway Broadcasting in 1975 and acquired WVON. At the time of his passing, South was Chairman Emeritus of Midway.

For more on South's life, check out obits from WVON, the Tribune and the Sun-Times.