About Carl Nelson

The Carl Nelson Show Launched Mon-Fri 4-7pm on WOL-AM 1450 February 6th 2012 in the nations capital. Ground-breaking, Peabody Award-winning broadcast news journalist Carl Nelson, has interviewed Presidents, Prime Ministers, Heads of State, politicians, authors, celebrities, civic leaders and people from all walks of life over a four-decade career that has taken him from Nelson Mandela’s prison cell in South Africa, to the Rodney King Riots in Los Angeles, to his present career as host of Washington DC’s latest daily newsmaker radio program, The Carl Nelson Show, a 3-hour daily news program on Radio One’s flagship radio station WOL-1450 AM.

Carl Nelson was the first reporter allowed to interview Nelson Mandela on the eve of his historic 1991 release from his South African prison and, as News Director for Stevie Wonder’s KJLH Radio, was the only news reporter allowed across police lines during the 1991 Rodney King riots. KJLH’s acclaimed coverage of this civic unrest garnered KJLH the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award, an NAACP Image Award, a Golden Mike Award, the Los Angeles Press Club Award and several other industry-wide awards.

Nelson began his broadcasting career in 1971 at WYNT Radio in New York City. In 1974, he was recruited by Inner City Broadcasting Company, owners of WLIB Radio and WBLS Radio. After stints at several radio stations in Los Angeles, Nelson was named News Director of Stevie Wonder’s KJLH Radio, a position he held for a quarter of a century (1980-2005). In addition to his managerial responsibilities, Nelson was deeply involved in Wonder’s Bid to make Dr. Martin Luther Kings’ birthday a national holiday, he was also led in the station’s critically-acclaimed coverage of local, regional and national politics, breaking news and national events, including coverage of all the US political conventions.

Nelson has interviewed former US President Ronald Reagan, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, former South Africa Premiere Peter Botha, Zambia’s first

President Kenneth Kaunda, Namibia’s Former President Sam Nujoma, current South African President Jacob Zuma, dozens of US political leaders including former US presidential candidate Rev. Jesse Jackson, Senator Edward Kennedy, Representatives Maxine Waters, John Conyers and Diane Watson, Julian Bond, Andrew Young, TD Jakes, and Rev. Al Sharpton, among many others.

Nelson’s celebrity interviews include: Elizabeth Taylor, Oprah, Michael Jackson, Prince, Sidney Poitier, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Redd Foxx, Luther Van Dross, Quincy Jones Berry Gordy, Magic Johnson, Muhammad Ali, O.J Simpson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar Richard Pryor and Nancy Wilson, to name but a few

In 1996, The Black Radio Exclusive Magazine named Carl News Director of the Year. Nelson is a graduate of the New York Institute of Technology, and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Radio Television News Directors Association and the Black Journalists Association. Formerly the co-owner of WSRF AM radio in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Nelson sits on the President’s Advisory Board at St. Thomas University, Miami, FL.

Journalist, author, and lecturer, A. Peter Bailey discusses the possibilities of what would have happened if Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King had teamed up. Bailey was an associate of Malcolm and a member of the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Bailey will also share some insights into the complex relationship between the two men. […]

  Author, activist, Shahrazad Ali checks in to conduct her test ‘Are you still a Slave’. Sister Shahrazad will also discuss her books, The Blackwoman’s Guide to Understanding the Blackman, Things Your Parents Should Have Told You, & more. Before we get to Sister Shahrazad, Community Activist, Mollie Bell on the fight between Bernie & Warren for […]

  Metaphysician & Master Herbalist, Doctah B Sirius checks in to discuss how to ‘clean-up our acts’ for 2020. Doctah B Sirius will stress the importance of having a healthy kidney, liver & spleen. He’ll also look at what he terms the new plague of parasites, as well as telomeres and anti-aging mental detoxification. Before we get to Doctah […]

The chairman of the History & African American studies Department, Dr. Gerald Horne checks in to analyze the situation in Iran, The upcoming impeachment trial of Donald Trump, this week’s Democratic Presidential debate, troubles within the British Monarchy, Problems in Puerto Rico & more. Before we get to Professor Horne, “Natural Mystic Grenada” Herbalist, Patrick […]

Dr. Frances Cress Welsings’ mentor Neely Fuller Jr. checks in with another episode of his tome on Racism/White Supremacy. Brother Neely claims if you don’t understand how the system of Racism/White supremacy works and all that it entails, then everything else you think you understand will only serve to confuse you. before we get to […]

Black Politics Expert, Dr. James Taylor discusses how the “War Talk’ will affect the upcoming elections, who will benefit on the Democrats’ side and will the saber-rattling impact Trump’s re-election bid. Dr. Taylor will also explain why Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders continue to lead the Democratic field. In addition, Professor Taylor will also review […]

Multi-talented researcher, Keidi Awadu checks in to discuss the recent return to Africa movement, is it a fad or the beginning of a trend? Brother Keidi will also talk about his next book ‘THE BLACKEST SOIL: Africa Can Feed the World’. In addition, Keidi Awadu will discuss how the richest black man in the world, […]

  Mystery Man, Mark from Anaheim checks in to discuss the US drone strike in Iraq, the possible ‘blowback’ from the attack, the little-mentioned CIA-SAD unit, the other casualties in Soleimani attack, the role of the Birchers & more. Before we get to Mark, Financial Advisor, JB Bryan with some advice on how to get […]

  Kemetologist, Tony Browder leads a tribute to Dr. Francess Cress Welsing on this the fourth anniversary of her transition. Brother Tony will be joined by Dr. Patrcia Netwon, Dr. Jay Menzies, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Publisher, Paul Coates & more. We’ll start the commemoration discussing the book, The Osiris Papers: Reflections on the Life and […]

  The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, N’Cobra, Kaam Howard updates us on the reparations movement and what is on the agenda for the movement in 2020. The group held it’s 30th annual convention this summer. Before we get to Kaam, Harvard trained scientist, Dr. Leonard Horowitz on the re-emergence of the […]