WERD (Atlanta): the story on HearLore

WERD (Atlanta)

On the 3rd of October 1949, Jesse B. Blayton Sr. purchased a radio station for fifty thousand dollars, creating the first station in the United States owned and programmed by African Americans. This transaction transformed WERD from a dormant frequency on 860 AM into a cultural beacon for the Black community in Atlanta, Georgia. While WDIA in Memphis had begun broadcasting Black programming the previous year, its ownership remained white, making Blayton's acquisition a unique milestone in media history. Blayton, an accountant, bank president, and professor at Atlanta University, did not merely buy a station; he purchased a platform for self-determination during an era of rigid segregation. The station's launch marked a shift from being spoken about to speaking for themselves, establishing a new standard for Black media ownership that would ripple through the decades.

The Prince Hall Temple

WERD found its physical home within the Prince Hall Masonic Temple on Auburn Avenue, a location that would become the epicenter of Black economic and political power in the mid-twentieth century. Auburn Avenue was then one of the wealthiest Black neighborhoods in the United States, a vibrant corridor of businesses and institutions that thrived despite the surrounding Jim Crow laws. The building housed more than just a radio station; it served as the headquarters for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, formed in 1957 and led by Martin Luther King Jr. The proximity of the SCLC to the radio studio created an unlikely but powerful synergy between media and the Civil Rights Movement. Inside the temple, the air was thick with the hum of broadcasting equipment and the quiet urgency of planning a revolution, as the station and the movement shared the same walls.

The Broomstick Signal

A unique communication system developed between the radio studio and the civil rights office below, allowing for real-time coordination during a time of intense surveillance and danger. Martin Luther King Jr. would tap the ceiling of his office with a broomstick to signal an urgent announcement, a gesture that could be heard by no one but those who knew the code. Jesse B. Blayton Jr., who managed the station, would then lower a microphone from the studio window to King, who stood at the window below, enabling the leader to broadcast directly to the community. This improvised technology bypassed the need for official press releases and allowed the movement to speak directly to its base without intermediaries. The sound of a broomstick tapping against the ceiling became a symbol of the close alliance between the Black press and the struggle for equality, turning a simple household item into a tool of liberation.

Common questions

When did Jesse B. Blayton Sr. purchase WERD to create the first African-American owned and operated radio station?

Jesse B. Blayton Sr. purchased WERD on the 3rd of October 1949 for fifty thousand dollars. This transaction transformed the dormant 860 AM frequency into the first station in the United States owned and programmed by African Americans. The acquisition established a unique milestone in media history distinct from the white-owned WDIA in Memphis.

Where was WERD located and how did it support the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta?

WERD found its physical home within the Prince Hall Masonic Temple on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. The station shared the building with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to create a powerful synergy between media and the Civil Rights Movement. This proximity allowed for real-time coordination and direct broadcasting to the community during a time of intense surveillance.

How did Martin Luther King Jr. communicate with WERD from his office to broadcast urgent announcements?

Martin Luther King Jr. tapped the ceiling of his office with a broomstick to signal an urgent announcement to the radio studio. Jesse B. Blayton Jr. lowered a microphone from the studio window to King, who stood at the window below to broadcast directly to the community. This improvised technology bypassed the need for official press releases and allowed the movement to speak directly to its base.

Who were the key figures that transformed WERD into a cultural phenomenon in Atlanta by 1951?

Jack Gibson, known as Jockey Jack, became the most popular disc jockey in Atlanta by 1951 and transformed the station's sound. He was joined by Program Director Ken Knight from Daytona Beach, Florida, who shaped the station's format into black appeal. The combination of Gibson's voice and Knight's strategic vision created a sound that reflected the lives and aspirations of the Black community.

What happened to WERD after Jesse B. Blayton Sr. sold the station in 1968?

Jesse B. Blayton Sr. sold the station in 1968, ending the Blayton family's direct ownership. Ken Knight purchased the callsign and moved WERD to Jacksonville, Florida, where he changed the frequency from WRHC to WERD. Knight held the station until his death in 1973, leaving behind a legacy that proved the viability of Black-owned media beyond the borders of Atlanta.

What is the current status of the original WERD location and how is the community preserving its history?

The National Black Radio Hall of Fame Atlanta Chapter is currently reopening WERD at its original birth location to preserve the station's history. The facility is undergoing renovations to include a historical museum that will document the station's role in Black media and civil rights history. This project ensures the story of WERD remains a living monument to the power of media and the resilience of the people who built it.

WERD (Atlanta)

The Prince Hall Temple

The Broomstick Signal

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