Shift on Hot Button Issue Leads to Dismissal

North Carolina Black Radio Icon Dismissed After Shifting on Hot-Button Issue

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C., June 1 /Christian Newswire/ -- After 16 years of service, Jimmie Lewis, Jr., an icon of a local radio station WFNC in Fayetteville, NC, has been dismissed. In times of hard economics, this may seem to be the usual. However, some blacks think in an era where the first black man is elected as president, old racial biases still exist in certain pockets of the country. What makes the dismissal of Jimmie Lewis controversial is not that he is in a wheelchair; he is a black man who changed his position concerning abortion.

For years, Jimmie Lewis considered himself to be pro-choice. However, after seeing the documentary Maafa 21 - Black Genocide in 21st Century America, he was perturbed by the expose' on the agenda of the eugenics movement led by elitists in the United States. He changed his position to pro-life after seeing how population control groups like Planned Parenthood is affecting the black population. He also helped a couple of local pastors, Bobby Fulmore and Johnny Hunter, with the national African-American pro- life organization, LEARN, promote the film, which has been shown in a Cumberland County Public Library.

Jimmie Lewis had served as the sound engineer and co-host on the daily program "Sound Off" which was a call-in program where locals could share their opinions on current issues. Many listeners enjoyed this program because all callers were valued. On Saturday, he hosted the "Swap Shop," where callers would list items to sell or buy. He also hosted "Fayetteville Focus" on community services and events. Jimmie Lewis let his audience know about his major shift.

Then, the radio station managers decided to change the format and broadcast a conservative radio personality out of Wilmington, North Carolina. Personnel at WFNC were shifted around. Another broadcaster was given "Swap Shop." So, the only black host at the station was the only one to lose his job. As his last week came to an end, Jimmie Lewis did not hold back on the intense feelings. Nor did listeners who did not favor the format change.