M.C. Richardson, the founder of the United Minority Media Association and a former radio host in Kansas City, died this month at the age of 86.
An obituary from Richardson’s family described him as “a pioneering force in American media and a steadfast advocate for equity, representation, and access.”
Richardson founded the UMMA in August 1974, and it became one of the Kansas City region’s leading organizations dedicated to advancing opportunities for people of color in broadcast and print media. Under Richardson’s leadership, the association became an affiliate of the National Black Media Coalition in Washington.
“His vision helped reshape the media landscape at a time when diverse voices were too often unheard,” the Richardson family wrote, adding that the organization became a “powerful platform for advocacy, education, and community advancement.”
Richardson was a former host on Kansas City’s community radio station, KKFI. His program, “Guess Who’s Coming to Kansas City,” covered culture, leadership and community.
Donna Wolfe, a longtime host and producer at KKFI, said in an email to KCUR that Richardson was among the founding programmers at the station, and that he was fully dedicated to the independent station’s mission. Notable guests on his program includes Kansas City’s Democratic Congressman, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, and Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Famer Otis Taylor.
Wolfe said Richardson was a “pioneering force” in Black and minority media locally.
“It’s an honor to have known M.C.,” Wolfe said in the email. “I am forever grateful for the opportunities he afforded myself and so many others in the broadcast media space. He was truly an icon deserving of recognition.”
As a radio personality, some of Richardson’s key catchphrases included, “The show must go on” and “Gina, would you let me handle this?”
“These words reflected his confidence, quick wit, leadership, and the joy he carried into every room,” KKFI wrote in a statement on social media.
Richardson also was the founder, editor, and publisher of City, Inner and Outer Magazine, according to his obituary.
His family wrote on the Clarke & Sons Funeral Home website that Richardson used the magazine “as a powerful platform to inform, uplift, and amplify voices within the community.”
“For over half a century, M.C. Richardson’s intellect, vision, and unwavering dedication elevated the Greater Kansas City community and influenced media spaces far beyond it,” they wrote.
Richardson was born Dec. 3, 1939, at Wheatley-Provident Hospital, the first Black-owned hospital in Kansas City. Richardson attended Lincoln Senior High School and then served in the U.S. Navy from 1959 to 1963. Richardson attended Penn Valley Community College and got a bachelor’s degree in communication from Park College after his time in the Navy. He died on Thursday, Feb. 5.
“Revered for his integrity, compassion, remarkable memory, and engaging humor, he leaves a historic legacy defined by leadership, opportunity, and transformative impact,” his family wrote. “His life’s work stands as a testament to the power of representation and the enduring responsibility to open doors for generations to follow.”
