Mark_Allen's Blog

Morgan D. Carter "The World's Conversation Starter" Died Sunday, November 16th. He was released Friday from Ingall's Hospital after being treated for chest pains.  

"The Worlds Conversation Starter" Morgan D. Carter II Motivational Speaker Radio/TV/Internet Host, Producer, Voiceover Professional and Spokesperson. Morgan Carter is known as The Worlds Conversation Starter because he is a black talk radio & TV host having had shows on WVON-AM, WGCI-FM, V103-FM, WSSD-FM, WBEE-AM. WGCR Web Satellite Radio, WCFJ 1470AM and WBGX 1570AM.   During his tenure, Morgan also hosted many other radio and cable TV programs including the Chicago Media Connection on channel 19 and special features. He helped to assemble the first all black male audience for the Phil Donahue Show in the late 70's. Mr. Carter was a part of a television marketing team which placed positive images of African Americans, Hispanics, Natives, and Asian Americans throughout the nation on TV and cable networks serving over 20 million households. Morgan Carter has received a number of honors and citations including a nomination in Who's & Who in America.  

He's frequently sought after as a Motivational Speaker, Professional and Personal Development Facilitator also and a Humorous Master of Ceremonies. The Worlds Conversation Starter served as a Media Counsel for the Chicago Local Organizing Committee of the Million Man March and since he performed in that capacity beginning in September of 1995, he has handled over 550 inquiries, interviews and debates regarding the October 16, 1995 Million Man March. Morgan Carter has provided Media, Public, Political and Government relations counsel and assistance to many entrepreneurs, news personalities, entertainment, professional athletes, local, national, international, politicians, and statesmen through a variety of network services and venues including channel Straight Talk Program.  

The Morgan Memos hosts a series of forums and functions which will increase client visibility amongst media, business outlets, representatives, politicians, religious leaders, community advocates, social service agencies as well as consumers. Carter is a rare breed who's seen, heard and read about on local cable TV, regular TV, radio, newspapers as well as the Internet. Morgan developed The Morgan Memos on the World Wide Web to provide media advisories and briefings to more than 40 media outlets and to many key VIP's and business executives. The Worlds Conversation Starter ensures that important news, views, and trends concerning African Americans are disseminated across the nation and around the world.  Morgan Carter was married to Wanda Armstrong Carter, who produced all of Morgan's TV programs. *******************************************************

 

Friends, my head still hurts just trying to imagine what happened to Morgan after we had about an hour long telephone conversation, hanging up about 6:00 PM on early Saturday evening, and last thing I said to him was "lets talk later, get you some rest."  

Most of you know that Morgan and I have been personal friends for over 20 years. We met on the radio when Morgan was doing the night time talk show on WVON and I was traveling with Rev. Jesse Jackson's '88 Presidential Campaign and I was calling in from the road giving the WVON listeners reports on the campaign that mainstream media was not covering.   We finally met in person and became friends. I helped him produce his various shows on WVON, and later he had me as his regular guest and co host when he was doing the 4:00 AM shift.

Many times we would spend the night after finishing the nighttime show at midnight and waking up to do the 4:00 AM shift. Thanks to the old WVON engineer named "Uncle Ned" Jouse who'd wake us up. I later ended up with my own Wednesday Night slot on WVON and of course Morgan was right there helping me produce my show.   Over 20 years later, we worked closely on too many projects to mention, but I guess the most notable would be helping him start his ACES Business network, which is still going after 14 years, and his Omnibus Roundtable and Morgan Memo TV shows on Cable Access TV. 

 I went from being a periodic guest, to regular Urban Analyst and a co-host. And that was the last of our telephone conversation Saturday.   Because of his schedule and health concerns, his wife Wanda and other members of the crew asked me to help take on more responsibilities to help ease Morgan's schedule. That was a hell of a task for he would let up, even when he was being hospitalized, he would call and ask for regular updates on current issues, and even scheduled me guests to interview from his hospital bed.  

After an hour long telephone conversation catching up and planning, Morgan was still wanting to talk more. To ease his travel schedule we agreed to do more tapings from his new house to keep him from having to go back and forth to the TV Studio. He was just beginning to tell how was enjoying being stretched out on the bed and listening to workers installing a new heating system in the house. That's when I said that we'd done enough talking for the day. He said you're right, and I said "get you some rest."

He sounded so well. That was 6:00 PM Saturday.   So getting the news of his death on Sunday, less than 24 hours after we talked on Saturday is truly hard to absorb. So thank you all for allowing me to exhale with you all for a bit on my friend I met at WVON, Morgan Carter "The World's Conversation Starter." The challenge for all of us now is how to help his wife Wanda get through the difficult challenges that await her and to help see her through.   I needed to get this out, so thanks again for your attention.   Mark S. Allen