Civil rights activist, legendary radio host Joe Madison passes away at 74

Radio personality and civil rights advocate Joe Madison died this week at age 74, according to his website.

Madison, known as The Black Eagle, brought his passion for justice from the civil rights movement to the airwaves. He passed away on Wednesday following a years-long battle with cancer.

Madison spent years working with the NAACP before launching his broadcast career and becoming a longtime radio voice in Washington D.C.

According to the NAACP, Madison led voter mobilization efforts, including the successful "March for Dignity" from Los Angeles to Baltimore. The march collected thousands of signatures for an anti-apartheid bill in Congress.

Madison is known for addressing current issues that affect the African American community. According to BET, his SiriusXM morning show, Urban View, has had a daily audience of approximately 26 million listeners since 2007. Madison recently renewed his contract with the network for multiple years.

"He comes from a tradition of activism, and he understands that change only occurs when people take part in some form of movement or some form of struggle," Kojo Nnamdi of WAMU told NBC 4 Washington.

Joe Madison's early life

Madison became a leader in social justice after college, according to the NAACP. He hosted a community-focused radio show and was a civil rights activist for the NAACP. He spread his message across the airwaves, reaching thousands of listeners in Detroit, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

He started his radio career in Detroit in 1980, then moved to Philadelphia and eventually to Washington. After appearing on WOL, he joined SiriusXM in 2008.

Madison achieved the Guinness world record for the longest on-air broadcast in 2015, broadcasting for 52 hours straight and raising more than $250,000 for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

He was instrumental in getting legislators to pass the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act in 2020, the NAACP said. Recently, he executed a hunger strike in honor of his mentor and activist, Dick Gregory.

How did Joe Madison die?

Madison took a break from his daily radio show to fight cancer. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021, which had spread to different parts of his body. However, he was undergoing treatment. The official cause of death has not been disclosed.

He leaves behind a legacy that will last for generations to come. Surviving him are his devoted wife, Sharon, their four children, five grandchildren, and a great-grandchild. 

Condolences can be sent to the family on Joemadison.com.