Chronicling the History of Black Radio in Birmingham since the mid 1930's. Check back often, as we digitize more of the collection and make it available online.
Please view "A Radio Hero" on our blog
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Scheduled to open late fall, 2024.
At the mike and behind the scenes, Black women have been in Black radio from the start. Roberta Roland was...
A collection of sound files, transcribed oral interviews, and images documenting Black radio in Birmingham, Alabama. Please click the link below.
In 2009, BBRM staff and volunteers began the archiving of this collection, with the arranging of objects chronologically (1935 – 1995) and the…
Box 6 Folder 29: "Ok, moving along to folder 29 is a certificate from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference from 1973 indicating that WJLD 1400…
Box 3 Folder 6: "Moving right along to number 6, folder 6 is a picture of Perry "Tiger" Thompson at the WJLD mike we figure from 1954. Apparently Ben…
Doris Gary (b. 1933) lived across the street from the Bethel Baptist Church and its parsonage in the Collegeville section of Birmingham during the…
Eloise Gaffney (b.Sept 21, 1948). A marvelous singer and choir director, Eloise Gaffney joined Fred Shuttlesworth's movement - the Alabama Christian…
Gary Richardson (b. Feb 18, 1957) Born to a coal mining family in Praco, Alabama, Gary spent some early years with childhood friends rummaging…
Ed Boutwell (b. June 21, 1937, d. January 25, 2023) founder of Boutwell Recording Studios in Birmingham, Alabama. Nephew of Albert Boutwell who was…
Don Solomon and Norman B Wooding, Jr, two pioneer Jefferson County gospel singers and, most recently, members of the Pillars of Birmingham, reminisce…