Robert Louis Law, a prominent figure in black talk radio known for using his platform to address political and social issues affecting the African American community, died on March 30 in Mineola, New York. He was 86. The cause of death was kidney disease, according to his daughter, Abina Law Napier.

Born on April 6, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York, Law initially pursued visual communications and commercial art at Pratt Institute but left before graduating. He worked as a graphic artist and magazine art director while becoming increasingly involved in civil rights activism. His early engagement with the Brooklyn chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee eventually led him into radio.

Law’s broadcasting career began in the early 1970s when he was invited to speak on a public affairs show at WWRL-AM in Queens. When the host left, Law took over, launching “Black Dialogue,” a weekly program focused on issues facing the black community. In 1981, he began hosting “Night Talk,” a midnight to 5 a.m. call-in show that ran for 17 years and was syndicated nationwide by the National Black Network.

Through “Night Talk,” Law provided commentary and interviewed notable political and cultural figures, including Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Maxine Waters, Denzel Washington, and Louis Farrakhan. The program was instrumental in amplifying discussions on topics such as economic empowerment, police brutality, self-respect, and masculinity.

Law was not only an observer but also an active participant in political movements. He helped organize the 1995 Million Man March in Washington, which focused on black male unity. He was an early advocate for Jackson’s 1984 presidential campaign, a support he credited in part to the show’s “Run Jesse Run” campaign, which regularly featured Jackson as a guest.

In addition to national politics, Law used his platform to highlight local causes, such as fundraising to support poor sharecroppers in Tunica, Mississippi, and promoting the establishment of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis at the site where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

Academics and listeners alike recognized Law’s role in fostering a sense of community and activism. Todd Steven Burroughs, an Africana studies professor, described “Night Talk” as a cultural and educational forum, recalling Law’s forthright style and moral clarity, including a noted 1989 interview with the Commodores, criticizing their performance in apartheid-era South Africa as accepting “blood money.”

Law and his late wife Muntu owned several businesses in Brooklyn serving the black community, including a health and beauty store, a restaurant, and a children’s bookstore. Muntu Law passed away in 2024.

He is survived by two daughters, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a sister. Throughout his career, Law remained committed to giving voice to African American communities and raising awareness of their struggles and aspirations through the medium of talk radio.