Browse Items (58 total)

Ms Ophelia Davis George (b. Nov 9, 1929, d. Mar 25, 2005), daughter of gospel broadcaster Deacon Richmond Davis (b. abt 1904, d. abt 1967). Davis began his gospel broadcasting in Birmingham in 1939 on WBRC, forerunner of WERC (960 AM), and was…

Manuel Fitch (MF) – long time gospel announcer currently on WJLD Radio AM 1400 and 94.1 FM, on Saturday mornings from 6-8AM. Manuel began working in Birmingham radio in the 1970’s and shared his recollections and stories from his scrapbook pictures.…

Lee Bell Johnson (LBJ) – gospel singer, story teller, performer, born December 7, 1934 in Demopolis, Alabama, Marengo County – recounts her early childhood and introduction to singing at the age of four while living on a plantation. Lee Bell is…

Rev. Andrew Dawkins (b. Feb 24, 1930, d. Dec 9, 2014), RnB announcer beginning his career early in 1950 at WBCO 1450 AM in Bessemer. BCO stood for Bessemer Cut-off. The station went all black staff in late 1951 and it was remarked locally that BCO…

Rev. Andrew “Sugar Daddy” Dawkins (b. Feb 24, 1930, d. Dec 9, 2014), radio announcer with two seminal radio stations, the first at WBCO AM 1450 in Bessemer in 1950 and the second at WEUP AM 1600, Huntsville, the latter Alabama’s first Black owner…

Another interview with Ben Franklin (b. Mar 12, 1919, d. May 10, 1998) on his radio career

Engineer Ben Franklin continues in this November 4th, 1993 interview recounting his stories of early Birmingham radio.

Engineer Ben Franklin (Ben) continues in this November 4th, 1993 interview recounting his stories of early Birmingham radio.

Engineer Ben Franklin (Ben) continues in this 1993 interview recounting his stories of early Birmingham radio.

Ben Franklin (b. March 12, 1919, Lees Vernon Parish, LA; d. May 10, 1998, Calera, AL) was a radio electronics engineer and eventually a station owner (WBYE in Calera) with a 60 year history in the field. He turned the transmitter of WJLD AM 1400 on…