| Mary L. Bell | |
| Birth Date: | 1901 |
| Birth Place: | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Death Place: | Detroit, Michigan |
| Nationality: | American |
| Known For: | President and chairperson of Bell Broadcasting Corporation |
| Spouse: | Haley Bell |
| Children: | 2 |
Mary L. Bell (1901–1995) was the first African-American to own and operate a radio station in the city of Detroit, Michigan, as president and chairperson of Bell Broadcasting Corporation.
Bell was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and graduated from Walden University (Tennessee).[1] She married Haley Bell, and they had two daughters.[2]
Haley Bell founded Bell Broadcasting Corporation in 1956. Following Haley's death, Mary succeeded him as president and chairperson of the board.[3] She retired in 1992.[4] Bell was the parent company of the Detroit radio stations WJZZ-FM and WCHB-AM, among the first African-American owned and operated radio stations in the U.S.[5]
Bell was active in a variety of organizations, including the National Council of Negro Women, the NAACP, and the YMCA.
Bell died of natural causes on March 25, 1995, in Detroit, Michigan.[6]