Alma Vessells John (September 27, 1906 – April 8, 1986) was an American nurse, newsletter writer, radio and television personality, and civil rights activist.

In 1949, John wrote a script titled Brown Women in White for production on WNBC, which led to a second career in radio and television.

In 1957, she received the McCall's Golden Mike Award for her show What's Right with Teenagers and in 1959 she became the director of women's programming at WWRL.

Over her 25-year career at the radio station, she wrote and produced numerous programs giving household tips, health care advice, and providing community service information.

The family read Negro World, published by Marcus Garvey, which strongly impacted her work ethic and ethnic pride.

[7][11] Though a petition to get her job back was presented to the Civil Service convention held in New York that year,[11] John accepted a new post in 1938 as the director of Harlem's Upper Manhattan YWCA School for Practical Nurses.

[7] John remained with the YWCA until 1944, when she left to work as a lecturer and consultant with the National Nursing Council for War Service.

Their goal was to establish training programs for black students and to provide instruction to nursing school administrators, directors, and public officials on how to increase enrollment.

[14] At the end of the year, she was the first nurse elected to membership on the National Committee on Children and Youth, a group organized to advise legislators about issues effecting young people.

In 1949, she wrote a script Brown Women in White for production on WNBC, which led to a consultation with Margaret Cuthbert, an NBC programming executive, for other radio work.

[22][23] The show mixed household tips with conversation by John and her guests, which focused on social issues and community affairs and ran nationwide five days per week.

[22] She ran a successful campaign with Mary Dee Dudley, the first African-American female disc jockey in the United States, for the association to adopt a policy that all of their meetings would be held in non-segregated facilities.

[28][29] These shows encouraged black youth to complete their education and strive for career opportunities, inspiring many to dream of entering the broadcasting business.

Other programs included public service projects such as information on health and civil rights issues, along with well-known guests like Eleanor Roosevelt.

[39] They offered community members of all ages a place to share their creative works and organized events for participation, like visiting prisons, detention centers, or children's homes.

[32] Her funeral was held at Saint Paul Baptist Church of Harlem on April 12 and on May 1, the United States House of Representatives paid tribute to her memory.

[35][42] She influenced the careers of numerous media communications professionals like Gary Byrd, Pablo Guzmán, David Lampel, and Gil Noble, among others.