Buffalo, NY -- WNED’s oral history radio series, Uncrowned Queens: Voices of African-American Women, will be honored with a 2009 Gracie Award® by the American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT). The series is being recognized as “Outstanding Documentary - Mid-Length Format” in the “Public” market category. The award will be presented June 4 during a luncheon in New York City.

For 34 years, the Gracies® have recognized exemplary media programming created for women, by women and about women, as well as individual accomplishments in the industry. The awards program also encourages the realistic and multifaceted portrayal of women.

“One of the most exciting facets of being a part of AWRT is the ability to recognize the real women behind the scenes and in front of the camera, and the phenomenal programming they create,” added AWRT President Maria Efantis Brennan, CAE. “This year, we are blessed with a range of exceptional work from across the country.”

The 13-part Uncrowned Queens series premiered on WNED-AM 970 October 31 and has been airing Fridays at 1 pm and Sundays at 7 pm. A special abbreviated edition airs on WBLK 93.7 FM on Sundays at 8:30 am.

Produced by WNED in conjunction with the Buffalo-based Uncrowned Queens Institute, UNCROWNED QUEENS: VOICES OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN highlights the accomplishments and viewpoints of exceptional African American women. Each hour-long program is introduced by Award-winning actress and The Cosby Show co-star Phylicia Rashad.

The series is a production of WNED Radio, which is solely responsible for its content. Lorna C. Hill is Producer.  Stratton Rawson of WNED and Sonja D. Williams, Chair of the Department of Radio, Television, and Film at Howard University, are Executive Producers.  Peggy Brooks-Bertram, Dr. P.H., Ph.D., and Barbara A. Seals Nevergold, Ph.D. of the Uncrowned Queens Institute are Consulting Producers. The project is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with support from BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and Rich Products.

“The Gracie® is a special honor because we take great pride in creating programming that offers diverse perspectives as well as compelling documentary,” said WNED President and CEO Donald K. Boswell. “I am impressed with the series’ power as a vehicle for inspiration, as each woman featured serves as a role model who has truly made a difference.”

“We are honored that the Gracie ® which is an award that “strives to encourage the realistic and faceted portrayal of women in entertainment, commercials, news, features and other programs” is being presented to this series, which documents the oral histories of African American women in their own words,” said Uncrowned Queens Institute founders Peggy Brooks-Bertram, Dr. P.H., Ph.D. and Barbara A. Seals Nevergold, Ph.D. “It is a fitting complement to the Uncrowned Queens Institute’s decade-long mission to give voice to African American women so that they could share their own stories and preserve them for the historical record.”

To date, 13 Western New York-focused shows have been created. However, future plans call for expanding the series nationally, allowing other public broadcasting stations to share the stories of their region’s own “Uncrowned Queens.”

For more information about the Gracie Awards, visit thegracies.org.