Raising the Game

By: Anthony Frasier

Narrated by: Anthony Frasier

Publisher's summary

Did you know that a Black man helped make the multi-billion-dollar video game industry possible? That man’s name is Jerry Lawson.

Lawson, born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, led the team that invented The Fairchild Channel F, the first commercially-available cartridge-based video game console. The Channel F and the game consoles that followed it revolutionized the industry, opening the door for gamers to buy entire libraries of games and incentivizing companies and programmers to produce more games.

So why haven’t more people heard about Lawson?

Podcaster Anthony Frasier dives deep into the mystery of Lawson’s untold story. It’s the true tale of an incredible inventor and engineer who helped to create new devices and launch new ideas that we’re still relying on today.

Frasier tracks down Jerry’s friends, colleagues and some of the most creative people in business and tech - like Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, Pong creator Allan Alcorn and Chuck E. Cheese co-founder Gene Landrum - to find out who Lawson really was and why he became a “hidden figure” in the world of videogames.

This is a podcast about struggle, genius, and the secret origin stories of some of the greatest videogames ever.

©Audible Originals, LLC 2021 (P)Audible Originals, LLC 2021

Thank You Jerry Lawson

What a story. So many more places to go from here. Thank you for the production Anthony Frasier and special thanks to the Lawson family for their involvement in telling this story.

Interesting history if

History wasn’t that far in the past but you wonder if Jerry would have gotten more acknowledgment if his relative contributions were in todays environment. Author made good advocate for Jerry Lawson’s vision and individual contributions to early home gaming breakthrough (eg Atari style game consoles)

good job and entertaining

great job and very entertaining.....narrator's voice is good but sometimes overdoing it from an excitement standpoint

A Titan.

We owe this man so much. I wish I knew more about why contemporaries (especially kindred spirit Steve Wozniak) claim not to know him.

Amazing History

I had no idea and enjoyed learning about Jerry. very interesting and put together well.

I loved this.

My son was asked to do a report on any topic. I asked him what he liked & we Google, "black people & gaming." My son loves video games. When we searched & the first & really only name that came up was Jerry Lawson. My son goes on to write this paper, but I was there reading all that he did. When I saw this podcast I had to listen. It is amazing all the Hidden Figures that are now coming to light. I just hope we don't always have to learn about someone's greatness after there gone. GREST JOB, Mr. FRASIER!

INSPIRATIONAL

This story was magnificently narrated with just the right amount of passion to convey it's authenticity without feeling forced. Jerry Lawsons story really hit home and delivered some important lessons to me, including the power of truly following your passions, no matter what you may face. If only someone like him could have been my mentor. Hmmm...I can take the lessons gleaned here and make the road better for the next generation, as he did for us. Truly inspirational. Thank you for making this!

More!!!!!

Beyond love this podcast… Please upload the next episode! I can no longer be patient :)

Another Hidden Figure

I learned about Jerry Lawson and his contributions to the video game industry a few years back. When you looked him up you had to get bits and pieces from all over the web. There isn’t much documentation out there that really tell his story and how important he was to the gaming culture. Anthony has done a great job of pulling all the data together and does an amazing job telling his Jerry’s Story. Representation matters and there are a ton of young people who need to hear Jerry’s story and i hope they are able to find this wonderful podcast.

Amazing from start to end

the best story none heard 👍 👍 👍 I can die knowing who started the video game hype