Ragan Henry Dies at 74

Ragan Henry, 74, a pioneering African-American entrepreneur, station owner and lawyer, died July 26 after a long illness.

Henry was a Harvard-educated lawyer who became a radio- and TV-station owner, civic leader and mentor to other media executives, while still finding time to grow daylilies, fish with his family and give back to the community in myriad ways.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America, which helps out broadcasters in need, is creating a fund to honor Henry, who was a foundation director.

"He was one of the leading African-American entrepreneurs in this country and a man of great intelligence and dignity," said Whitney Media president William O'Shaughnessy, chairman of the BFA endowment committee.

According to his wife, Henry requested that there be no funeral or memorial service.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.