Worth Broadcasting Legend Curtis Pierce, Jr. Nominated for 2025 Texas Radio Hall of Fame

Fort Worth Broadcasting Legend Curtis Pierce, Jr. Nominated for 2025 Texas Radio Hall of Famed. By Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr., Publisher, Blavk Texans, Inc.

Fort Worth native and trailblazing TV and radio personality Curtis Pierce, Jr. has been posthumously nominated for induction into the 2025 Texas Radio Hall of Fame, honoring his groundbreaking contributions to the airwaves and community:

Born on March 15, 1941, in Waskom, Texas, Curtis Pierce graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and quickly earned his FCC license, launching a dynamic career that would help shape the cultural landscape of Dallas-Fort Worth radio (https://www.trhof.net/2025-vote/).

Curtis made his mark in radio at KNOK 970 AM, one of the first stations to feature Black radio talent in the region. His charismatic presence and soulful sound captivated listeners, eventually taking him to KFJZ 1270 AM and later to KVIL, where he broke new ground as one of the first influential Black radio personalities to successfully cross over to mainstream audiences.

In 1968, Curtis brought his talent to television with the launch of “Operation Soul,” a music and variety show that aired on KTVT-TV. Produced in cooperation with the Community Relations Committee, the show was created to give young talent from the Fort Worth-Dallas area a platform to perform and gain exposure. Curtis served as both producer and master of ceremonies, bringing acts from Dunbar High School, Como High School, and other local performers to the screen every Saturday at 3 p.m. His work on “Operation Soul” helped nurture the next generation of performers and brought Black youth culture into the living rooms of thousands.

Curtis’s influence reached beyond Texas. He was featured multiple times in Billboard International Weekly Magazine, including being named a Top R&B DJ “Pick of the Week” in April 1965, and one of Radio Response’s Top Disk Jockeys in June 1966.

After his passing on March 23, 2000, his hometown of Waskom honored his legacy by declaring November 12 as “Curtis Pierce, Jr. Day.”

Now, with his nomination to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, Curtis Pierce, Jr.’s remarkable life and legacy are once again being celebrated—recognizing a man who used his voice to uplift a generation and open doors for countless others.

Publisher of Black Texans, Inc.

Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr.

Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr. is an influential pastor, civil rights advocate, and community leader with deep roots in Fort Worth, Texas. He serves as the senior pastor of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church and leads the Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas  .

Over four decades, Pastor Tatum has championed civil rights, educational equity, and community development across Texas  . Early in his career, he founded the Mitchell Center in San Marcos in 1995—a community resource hub named to honor Mrs. Willie Mae Mitchell—that supports African American heritage, education, advocacy, and empowerment  . Celebrated during its 30th anniversary in 2025, the Center transitioned under the stewardship of the Calaboose African American History Museum, solidifying its role in preserving cultural legacy  .

He also leads “Out of Pocket Productions,” a project devoted to reclaiming hidden histories through films, lectures, and immersive storytelling. Notable productions spotlight trailblazers like Gladys Lee, Francine Reese Morrison, Beatrice Pringle, and Mary Keys Gibson, among others  .

In addition to his cultural contributions, Pastor Tatum founded the Inner City Coffee Exchange and Coffeeaires, LLC, collaborating with Texas A&M’s Center for Coffee Research and Education to teach youth about the specialty coffee industry as a path to inner-city economic empowerment  . He’s also an advisor to local law enforcement and public institutions, directing initiatives like “Church Clinic Without Walls” to deliver vaccines, testing, and fresh food to underserved neighborhoods during the pandemic  .

A fellow of the Aspen Institute’s Racial Justice Collective, a panelist at Bloomberg CityLab, and a nominee for Bloomberg New Economy Catalysts, Pastor Tatum’s advocacy spans local and international forums . He has also actively responded to community tragedies—offering support following the Uvalde school shooting and convening local leaders to discuss gun violence prevention in Fort Worth  .

Earlier in his career, he ran for Congress, coined the “Communiversity of Hope” model (uniting church, academia, and community), and served as president of the local Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) chapter, earning multiple “Servant of the People” honors  .

Summary

Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr. is a visionary leader weaving faith, culture, advocacy, and education into a lifework of transformation. Through initiatives like the Mitchell Center, Out of Pocket Productions, the Inner City Coffee Exchange, and hands-on crisis response, his contributions resonate deeply among Black Texans and beyond.