BOB LAW, PIONEERING BLACK TALK RADIO HOST OF NIGHT TALK, DIES AT 86.(PHOTO).

 Bob Law, pioneering Black talk radio host of Night Talk, dies at 86

MINEOLA, NEW YORK - Bob Law, a pioneering Black talk radio host whose decades-long career helped shape national conversations on politics, culture, and community issues, died March 30 in Mineola, New York. He was 86. His daughter, Abina Law Napier, said he died in a hospital from kidney disease.

Law became widely known for his influential overnight program “Night Talk,” a midnight-to-5 a.m. call-in show on WWRL-AM that was later broadcast nationally. Beginning in 1981, the program featured interviews with prominent figures, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Rep. Maxine Waters, actor Denzel Washington, and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, alongside live listener discussions on issues such as economic empowerment, policing, identity, and social justice.

Beyond broadcasting, Law was also an activist and organizer. Standing 6-foot-9, he participated in major political and cultural movements, including helping organize the Million Man March in 1995 and supporting early efforts behind Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign. He also used his platform to rally support for community causes, from funding relief efforts in Mississippi to promoting the creation of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

Born in Brooklyn in 1939, Law studied visual communications at Pratt Institute and worked as a graphic artist and magazine art director before becoming involved in civil rights organizing. His activism eventually led him into radio, where he began working at WWRL in the early 1970s and later took over hosting duties, eventually launching “Night Talk,” which ran for 17 years.

Known for his direct style and willingness to challenge guests, Law often used his program to confront controversial issues head-on. He described Black talk radio as a vital platform for communities otherwise excluded from mainstream media discourse.

After leaving “Night Talk” in 1998, he continued working in radio and media, including hosting programs on other New York stations and producing a documentary on the history of Black radio. He remained outspoken in later years about the direction of media and continued to speak on issues such as policing and justice.

Law is survived by his daughters, grandchildren, and other family members.