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.

The head of the University of Houston’s African-American & History Dpt’s Dr. Gerald Horne will answer the questions did Obama send more troops to Africa than any other President, is Erik Prince forming a Mercenary group in Kenya, Niger, Venezuela, Somalia The Contras & more. But getting us started Dr. Stephanie Myers from Black Women […]

Educator & Griot, Dr. James Small outlines the reasons why we should start getting our ‘Economic Houses in Order’. Professor Small will discuss why we should create our own businesses to build a Global Black Economic Community. Before we get to Dr. Small, We’ll discuss Cohen’s testimony on Wednesday against Trump & if it will […]

  Author, Activist, Shahrazad Ali opines on the news of the day Trump, R. Kelly Jussie Smollett & more. before we get to Sista Shahrazad, Dr. Frederick Gooding on his book, American Dream Deferred Black Federal Workers in WDC 1941-1981. We kick off the show with former NFL star Brian Mitchell from our sister station […]

Baltimore Criminal Defense Attorney, A Dwight Pettit & Community Activist, Mollie Bell weigh in on the charges facing singer, R. Kelly & actor, Jussie Smollett. Attorney Pettit will also discuss if Kelly is facing double jeopardy and could be recharged if and when he’s released. Before we get to Mollie Bell & Attorney Pettit, activist […]

  Mystery Man, Mark From Anaheim will discuss what he terms ‘Kleptocracy’, and how it affects all of us, the Mueller Report, Roger Stone & rare Black History. Before we get to Mark, author & journalist, A Peter Bailey, who was with Malcolm X 54 years ago today at The Audubon Ballroom, relives the assassination. […]

  The Master Teacher, Ashra Kwesi returns to the classroom this afternoon. Brother Kwesi will discuss Afrikan History & Spirituality & the origin of the Bible & the Koran. Before we get to Brother Kwesi, Civil Rights activist Ray Fauntroy on Trumps’ plan to allegedly spend $100 billion in private capital in the inner cities. […]

World Traveler, Historian, Essayist, Anthropologist, Author, and Public Lecture, Dr. Runoko Rashidi returns to report on his latest travels to the Continent. Dr. Runoko Rashidi will also stress the importance of celebrating our history before the Slave Trade, his upcoming trips & Facebook Classes & more. Before we get to Dr. Rashdi, Author & Inventor, […]

  Activist, Fred Hampton discusses if the Jussie Smollett issue, will change the community’s relationship with the Chicago P.D. Chairman Fred will also talk about the ramifications from the death of former Black Disciple leader, Lawrence “Big Law” Loggins. Before we get to the Chairman, Cultural Anthropologist, Dr. Sheila Walker on The African Diaspora.

Dr. Frances Cress Welsing’s mentor, Neely Fuller Jr. explains his tome on Racism/White Supremacy. He contends if you don’t understand it & how it works and everything it entails, then everything else you think you understand will only serve to confuse you. Before we get to Brother Neely, The Irritated Genie on Black Love. The […]

Educator & Griot, Dr. Kaba Kamene (Booker T Coleman), discusses the link between professor William Leo Hansberry & Marcus Garvey & Kwame Nkrumah. Dr. Kamene will also talk about what created the mutant European Ethnic Stock. What happened to the Original African Family during the Wurm Ice Age in the Caucasus Mountains? Before we get […]