Wdia radio station 1947 the first radio station in the united states programmed by and for african americans, wdia was one of only six stations broadcasting in memphis, tennessee when it hit the airwaves in 1947. Jan 15, 2018 he appeared dozens of times on wdia, memphis, the first allblack formatted radio station. Entertainment news for memphis and the midsouth from the commercial appeal. Discover 17 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in memphis, tennessee from the crystal shrine grotto to big kids sculptures. Live like a local at hotel indigo memphis downtown, an urban home base surrounded by the pulsating beat of the blues. Wkn new evidence has been sent to us by alfred cowles, jr.
The old armory building was built in 1942 and was home to the tennessee national guard. Wdia began to call itself the mother station of negroes. The plane and its crew logged more than 20,000 combat miles, all without a single casualty. Early radio and the beginning of tv historic memphis. Wdia the goodwill station memphis, tennessee mississippi. Blackformatted station celebrates 60th anniversary in memphis on air personality bev johnson of wdia, am 1070 in memphis, tennessee. The musical legacy of the bluff city is exciting, diverse, and extremely significant in the history of american culture. In 1951, nat was selected by the newlyestablished africanamerican newspaper in memphis, the tristate defender, as their first city editor. A former highschool history teacher and journalist, williams brought his own records and his familiarity with. Funeral home services for joan are being provided by n. From the allbutforgotten to the nevertobeforgotten, here are 200 markers along memphis road of. Wdia is celebrating the 60th anniversary of being on the air as a blackformatted radio station. Memphis type history is a project by caitlin horton and rebecca phillips.
We collect your stories and search out the rumor and lore behind memphis greatest signs and best historical places. Jul 30, 2016 picturing children shows more than a century of africanamerican childhoods. Cantor, who is white, worked on the controlboard of wdia during the 1950s. Contents hide 1 history 2 references 3 further reading 4 external links historyedit wdia went on the air june 7, 1947,2 from studios on union avenue. Picturing children shows more than a century of african. A former highschool history teacher and journalist, williams brought his own records and his. Radio stations from other cities sent representatives to study how wdia worked, returning to establish africanamerican stations in their own cities. Tripadvisor historic memphis walking tour provided by.
We learn about how the transformation of this station into allblack programming and onair talent exposed some of the best local talent to become major music icons we recognize today. The chickasaw indian tribe emerged about the 17th century, or migrated into the area. The owners, john pepper and bert ferguson, were both white, and the format was a mix of country and western and light pop, as well as homemaker shows, network shows and block programming that included soap operas and classical music. With the recent additions of wdia and the beale street historic district, the u.
The stations first female africanamerican disc jockey was willa monroe, who hosted a program for homemakers. This page is for faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the department of history at the university of memphis. How america got its first black radio station atlas obscura. Active since 1947, it soon became the first radio station in the united states that was programmed entirely for african americans. Wdia history by robert gordon i remember when the black ambulances could not haul white people. In the late 1940s, memphis radio station wdia became the first to target its programming to a largely ignored black audience. In his book where i was born and raised, author david l. Wdias impact was enormous, not just in memphis but in the whole usa. Code switch the national museum of african american history and cultures director lonnie bunch talks about a new. After the martin luther king assassination in 1968, the city deteriorated further into desolate, abandoned storefronts on desolate abandoned streets, as citizens and businesses fled the downtown area. How wdiamemphis became the nations first allblack radio station and. From beale street being a catalyst for african american achievement to the sanitation strike and the assassination of dr.
Memphis taco shops featured in new book american tacos. Although national black history month is celebrated in february, memphis enjoys its diverse african american heritage all year long through a variety of attractions, museums, and historic sites. Wdia became an integral part of the memphis community raising charity funds for needy children with its goodwill and starlight revues. Wdia inspired many other stations to adopt the format.
It was on the roof of the original riechmancrosby building at beale and front street. Wdia radio station, which is based in memphis, tennessee, has been active since 1947 and has an amazing history. Civil rights trail, which features 100 locations across 15 states, now includes five historic memphis locations. In the first millennium, it was settled by the mississippian culture. The station had a strong influence on music, hiring musicians early in their careers, and playing their music to an audience that reached through the mississ. I strongly advise this as one of the key books on the subject of black radio in america. The obituary was featured in the commercial appeal on april. One of the best state historical journals in the united states, the tennessee historical quarterly is published by the tennessee historical society four times a year. After the decline of beale street, wdia became the single most empowering force. Wdia the goodwill station wdia, the goodwill station, was the first radio station in the nation to have an allblack format. On june 7, 1947, wdia transmitted onto the radio waves for the first time from its 2074 union avenue studio one of just six memphis radio stations at that time. Vaudeville theaters such as the lincoln opened on and behind beale street, drawing crowds to the attractions. Woven throughout the book is thoughtful, original, and illuminating research on the social history of race and how notions about racial identity and geographical space informed the ways in which the segregated white and black residents of memphis interacted and were involved in one.
Memphis provided wwii with one of its most enduring symbols the memphis belle, the first b17 bomber to successfully complete 25 missions over europe. Picturing children shows more than a century of africanamerican childhoods. This format made wdia the toprated memphis station in the early 1950s. The fascinating story of how a memphis radio station broke down racial barriers by changing its programming to target the largely ignored black audience. Wdia is a radio station based in memphis, tennessee. Wayne dowdy, longtime archivist for the memphis public library, examines the history and culture of the midsouth during its most important decades. If i refuse to take a historical note at face value and dive into the details, i know i run the risk of. Music has always coursed through the veins of this southern town that sits atop the bluffs of the mighty mississippi river. The history of memphis, tennessee and its area began many thousands of years ago with succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples. Over the last several decades, a number of prominent. Overview african americans in memphis is a short pictorial history at how african americans in. How america got its first black radio station in 1948, memphis channel wdia became a community voice and a rock n roll starmaker. When wdia first went on air june 7, 1947, it was owned by john pepper and dick ferguson, both.
Twins at wdia, memphis, tn national museum of african american. The definitive history of wdia is the book wheelin on beale by louis cantor. In the 1890s beale street became the center of fashionable nightlife among blacks in memphis. Wdia radio station, memphis, tennessee, united states. Bell explains it wasnt just the music or even the personalities that made wdia such a hit in memphis and throughout the mississippi delta region when the station increased to 50,000 watts in 1954. Keeping our fingertips on the pulse of our communities in the midsouth and around the world. Wdia went on the air june 7, 1947, from studios on union avenue. Feb 21, 2011 wdia became an integral part of the memphis community raising charity funds for needy children with its goodwill and starlight revues. Hidden history of memphis tennessee hidden histories.
So we thought this would be a good time to do a brief dip into the history of the memphis design group, an italian design and architecture collective whose wild, colorful, postmodern style defined the look of the 80s. Two memphis landmarks now have a spot on a national trail that honors sites related to the civil rights movement. During the late 1960s and 1970s much of downtown memphis was allowed to fall into a downward spiral. The bomber was named for margaret polk, a memphis sweetheart of the planes pilot, robert morgan.
Step inside the fascinating annals of the bluff citys history and discover the memphis that only few know. Cohn writes, the mississippi delta begins in the lobby of the peabody hotel in memphis. Today memphiss bestknown landmarks are two placesbeale street and gracelandintimately associated with the citys place in american music history, especially that of the blues, rockabilly, and rocknroll. Memphis gospel radio 1950s highlights eight stellar ensembles in a stunning set of radio transcriptions from memphis s wdia.
Learn more about memphiss history, attractions, and culture, including its contributions to music. When wdia went on the air in memphis, tennessee, in 1948, its white owners, bert ferguson and john r. The obituary was featured in the commercial appeal on july 10. Wdia, the goodwill station, was the first radio station in the nation to have an allblack format. Celebrating 31 years of talk on wdia radio chat about 1070 wdia. Memphis, city, seat of shelby county, extreme southwestern corner of tennessee, on the mississippi river. Memphis historians, department of history, the university.
A former highschool history teacher and journalist, williams brought his own records and his familiarity with memphiss blues hotbed beale street with him. With a tip of the cotton pickers straw hat purchased at a. Guralnick is an eminent authority on rock and roll and related musical styles. People tuned in to hear if the dj would mention seeing them on friday night, bell says. Its owners, john pepper and dick ferguson, established the station and located it at 2074 union avenue. A brief history of memphis music the musical legacy of the bluff city is exciting, diverse, and extremely significant in the history of american culture. Memphis wdia radio station and beale street historic. Memphis is a city steeped in american history, from the civil war and prohibition, to the birth of blues, soul, and rock n roll. After the decline of beale street, wdia became the single most empowering force for africanamericans in memphis and beyond. Hidden history of memphis and crusades for freedom. He holds a masters degree in history from the university of arkansas and is a certified archives manager. Schwabs dry goods store to those who came before, i can think of no other way to begin this blog about the history of memphis music than to pay tribute to the father of memphis music w. Feb 19, 2010 step inside the fascinating annals of the bluff citys history and discover the memphis that only few know. Active since 1947, it soon became the first radio station in the united states that was programmed.
Memphis type history the stories, people, and history. Memphis gospel radio 1950s highlights eight stellar ensembles in a stunning set of radio transcriptions from memphiss wdia. Plan your next trip to memphis, tn and be sure to visit wdia radio. Tennessee historical commission marker for wdia radio, union avenue, memphis, tennessee.
Usas first black radio station memphis type history. The station first featured black radio personalities, and its growing success contributed in building a new audience of black listeners. There are many standouts, especially johnny taylor, ben cauley didnt know he sang. From elvis to dylan to billy lee, take a look at some notable moments and milestones worth remembering in 2019. Wdia s impact was enormous, not just in memphis but in the whole usa.
In 1985 wdia moved to radio center the former home of wmps. Memphis and the political transformation of the american south. In memphis, the second black station, wlok, opened in 1954. Wdia radio and the beale street historic district were officially added to the u.
Tennessee offers many local attractions and business for you to explore. Downtown boutique hotel hotel indigo memphis downtown. Find 3 listings related to wdia radio station in memphis on. Art and leadership in ethiopia, which was published by the university press of america in 2008. Its history is rich with fabled characters and stories of jazz, blues, jug bands, rockabilly, soul, barrelhouse pianopounders, country barn dances, seminal rock bands, hill country boogie, rap, hip. Riechman was the distributor for majestic radios and felt the future was in selling radios rather than in broadcasting. Code switch the national museum of african american history and cultures director lonnie bunch talks about a. This tennessee historical commission marker for wdia the goodwill station is located outside wdia radio on union avenue in downtown memphis. Feb, 2020 two memphis landmarks now have a spot on a national trail that honors sites related to the civil rights movement. Earnestine jenkins is an associate professor of art history at the university of memphis. The bev johnson show hosted by bev johnson a 42 years radio broadcaster.
Two african american boys with arms outstretched stand on telephone books and sing into a radio station microphone. Wdia radio and the beale street historic district were. Jun 18, 2019 how america got its first black radio station in 1948, memphis channel wdia became a community voice and a rock n roll starmaker. History and african and african american studies major mandy campbell was featured in part three of the benjamin hooks institute for social changes series, civil rights. A light and lively history of wdia, the countrys first allblack radio station.
Cantors biography offers more than the story of an underappreciated disc jockey and his relationship to elvis. Once a cuttingedge hotel developed by holiday inn founder kemmons wilson in 1963, hotel indigo memphis downtown brings the citys heritage and history to light and life. A light and lively history of wdia, the countrys first all black radio station. Funeral home services for isaac are being provided by n. Whether you think of this as good news or terrible news, in the world of design, the 80s are back in a big way. Owned by john pepper and bert ferguson, two white guys, the station played pop and country western music and it headed towards bankruptcy very quickly. The podcast, caitlin talks about wdia, the first allblack radio station in the u. Memphis state university foundation the historymakers.
On june 7, 1947, wdia transmitted onto the radio waves for the first time. Wdia hired other hosts, and by the summer of 1949 it became the first station in the united states with an entire cast of black disc jockeys. On this walking tour, learn all about memphis through the ages, visit landmarks such as the court square fountain and confederate park, and explore beale street. Memphis history skip to main search results amazon prime. In 1960, at age eighteen, stansbury was hired as a radio personality and gospel announcer at memphis, tennessees wdiaam, where he has worked for over fifty years. Campbell tells the story of memphis radio station, wdia. It is the most populous city in the state and is at the center of tennessees second largest metropolitan area. Disc two is a great compilation of contemporary memphis soul and blues.
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