Mbanna Kantako (born Dewayne Readus) is a blind African freedom fighter who is active in the

Low-power broadcasting Low-power broadcasting is broadcasting by a broadcast station at a low transmitter power output to a smaller service area than "full power" stations within the same region. It is often distinguished from "micropower broadcasting" (more commonly " ...

(

microwatt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James W ...

, FM pirate radio broadcasting) in the

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

. His history of unlicensed broadcasting in the service of social and racial justice has made him "an early hero of the micro-broadcasting movement."

Brief biography

Mail order kit

During the 1980s, Mbanna Kantako had been living in a public housing project in

Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

. With the help of Mike Townsend, a professor of

social work Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...

at a small college in Springfield, Mbanna Kantako obtained a 1 watt transmitter kit from a mail order catalog.

Housing Project Tenants' Association

Having constructed the transmitter, Mbanna used to communicate with other Black residents in the housing project under the call letters WTRA ("Tenants Rights Association"), of which he was a member. These transmissions went through more changes of name from Black Liberation Radio to African Liberation Radio.

Fine

Mbanna Kantako found himself under investigation by the FCC when his microwatt transmissions expanded in both duration and content by featuring youths who were in trouble with the Housing Project police. Then he was ordered to cease his broadcasts. Like a lot of pirate radio broadcasters at first he complied and then came back on the airwaves. However, he announced his return by informing the FCC of his intention by means of a public announcement to the press. The net result was a summons to appear in court where he faced a $750 fine. Kantako claimed that he could not get a court-appointed lawyer and so he refused to go to court and as a result a default judgment was entered against him.

Inspirational anarchy

His press conference inspired others to also start microwatt stations in other cities. Radio Free Detroit took to the air and it was promptly raided by the FCC. But in short order it was followed by

Free Radio Berkeley Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procure ...

and then San Francisco Liberation Radio. Kantako also returned to the air from 7pm to midnight every day. His reasoning is exactly the same as Alan Weiner who started

Radio Newyork International Radio Newyork International was the name of a pirate radio station which broadcast from a ship anchored in international waters off Jones Beach, New York, United States in 1987 and 1988. The history of Radio Newyork International (RNI) is lin ...

after first operating both licensed and unlicensed commercial radio stations on land in the

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

area. Kantako claims that he should be left alone because he is just using an open space on the spectrum.

References

External links

Overview of Mbanna Kantako dated February, 1996 edition of Metro Santa CruzMbanna Kantako photographarchive of recordings extant as of June 1, 2020 whole archive of what still exists on diymedia.net/old/mbanna as zip as of June 1,2020 ~800mbUIS Archives finding aid - Mbanna Kantako legal brief on why FCC regulations are unconstitutional, 1998
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kantako, Mbanna American anarchists Pirate radio personalities Living people American blind people Year of birth missing (living people)