Harold Lee Rush

The creative genius and performance energy of Harold Lee Rush has been recognized and celebrated for over four decades. At Chicago’s famed Englewood High School, Harold was a multi-year President of the Drama Club. He then toured nationally with the Robin Hood Players Professional Theatre Company and appeared in the first Black-produced dramatic TV series in the U.S., "Bird of the Iron Feather” on Chicago’s Public Television Station WTTW. During this time, he also performed with various Black theatre organizations in a variety of roles.

In 1982, Harold's broadcasting talents were discovered by Marv Dyson, who hired him at Chicago’s WGCI radio as the producer and co-host of the powerhouse morning show, first with Bob Wall (as the only Black-White morning duo in a major market), then with Doug Banks, where Rush created the “Front Page” segment, which has been copied in morning shows across the country. In the decade at the Gannett-owned company, Rush hosted broadcasts all over the U.S. and around the world, including London, Senegal, Jamaica and the Bahamas, becoming one of the most well-known media personalities in Chicago, hosting TV shows, adjunct teaching at Columbia College Chicago and speaking at high schools, universities and organizations throughout the Midwest.

In addition to program hosting and producing at WGCI AM/FM, Rush also worked at Johnson Publishing Company as morning show host at WJPC-FM radio (J106) and announcer for “Ebony-Jet Showcase” TV show; served as a Talk Show Host at WVON-AM and hosted two television series’ at CAN-TV (“Rush Street” and “One Step Closer To The Top”). Rush has also authored internationally award-winning poetry and is much in demand as a Spoken Word artist.

Harold’s community service has been recognized and honored by many organizations including Outstanding Young Men of America (1983 and 1986), UNCF Distinguished Leader Award (1987), Malcolm X College (Honorary Degree 1984), Chicago Board of Education and The Chicago Police Department “We Care” Role Model Program (1987-1990) and the Monarch Award from Xi Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (1987).

After ten years in Atlanta, having expanded his broadcast horizons to include program management at WIGO radio and mastering emerging Internet technologies, Harold returned to Chicago in 2003 to take up marketing responsibilities for The Bronzeville Press’ release of ‘KINGS: The True Story of Chicago’s Policy Kings and Numbers Racketeers’, with publisher Nathan Thompson.

2005 brought Rush to WKKC FM, the official radio station of the City Colleges of Chicago as a Broadcaster and Instructor for students in the Media Communications Programs.

Harold Lee Rush retired from City Colleges of Chicago in June 2020.