Edythe Lewis

Edythe M. "Delilah" Lewis (February 26, 1924 – June 5, 2014)<ref name="DDN4feb2019"/><ref name="DDN obit 10jun2014" /> was an American woman who was the first black, female disc jockey in Dayton, Ohio, United States, in the 1950s.

Early life and education

Lewis was born Edythe Mulzac, raised in Harlem<ref name="batzDDN17may2003">Template:Cite news</ref> and trained as a nurse at Harlem Hospital in New York.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> Later, she earned her bachelor's degree in Education from the University of Cincinnati<ref name=":0" /> and then two master's degrees.<ref name="JH1mar1984">Template:Cite news</ref>

Career

Lewis was the first black woman to host a radio show in Dayton, Ohio, broadcasting on WING-AM as Delilah in the 1950s.<ref name="DDN obit 10jun2014" /><ref name="timeline">Template:Cite news</ref> She was inducted into the Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2003.<ref name="DDN obit 10jun2014">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Dayton Daily News called her a pioneer<ref name="DDN obit 10jun2014" /> and said she was a role model during a period when there were very few black people in the broadcasting industry.<ref name="DDN4feb2019">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1971, she was hired by the Miami Conservancy District.<ref name=":0" /> She later became the District's executive director.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1976, Governor James A. Rhodes appointed her to the Ohio Recreation and Resources Commission.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1979 she was named one of Dayton's Top 10 Women by the Dayton Daily News.<ref name="batzDDN17may2003" /> Lewis retired from the District in the early 1980s.<ref name="DDN obit 10jun2014" />

She served on the boards of Wright State University and the Children's Medical Center, among others.<ref name="JH1mar1984" />

In 2001, her husband Lloyd E. Lewis Jr., a member of the Dayton City Commission, died, and she was elected in a special election to fill out the remaining months of his term,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> defeating Republican Abner Orick.

Personal life

Lewis died on June 5, 2014, from complications from Alzheimer's disease.<ref name="DDN obit 10jun2014" />

Recognition

• 1979: Top 10 Women<ref name="batzDDN17may2003" />
• 2003: Dayton Broadcasting Hall of Fame<ref name="DDN obit 10jun2014"/>