Reflections on Deacon Richmond Davis, from his daughter Ophelia George

Reflections on Deacon Richmond Davis, from his daughter Ophelia George

Ms Ophelia Davis George (b. Nov 9, 1929, d. Mar 25, 2015), 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 sponsored for many years by Taft Epstein’s Jewelry Store in downtown Birmingham. Davis’ broadcasts were later heard on WSGN 610 AM (1943), WEDR 1220 AM, WJLD 1400 AM in the 1950’s and 60’s and later on WENN 1320 AM.

Ophelia George

Bob Friedman

Birmingham Black Radio Museum

June 3, 1994

Jeff Hirschy

Emily Bibb

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MP3

English

Bob Friedman

Ophelia George

Transcript from audio snippet:

Ophelia: Ok, I’m trying to think of this guy who was a radio announcer and he only recently retired……ummmm, one of his eyes were a little bad.
Bob: Walter Anglin?
Ophelia: What’s the name?
Bob: Walter Anglin
Ophelia: Yeah, Walter Anglin, Walter Anglin was…
Bob: I was at Walter’s house just yesterday afternoon…
Ophelia: No kiddin’! Up here in…
Bob: Up in Golden Crest…that’s where he is now…he’s been by the station…we’ve done an interview with him and we also made some copies of pictures for him and Haddie….that they didn’t know even existed…of him, and he brought in some of his own stuff and we made copies of that,
Ophelia: Well, he’s an old timer…Walter Anglin
Bob: O yeah…Walter goes back…One thing, he doesn’t remember a whole lot. When you go into the forties you know that, he knows he did some kiddie shows at the Famous Theater….
Ophelia: uh huh
Bob: Umm but it seems like his first radio experience was on WEDR.
Ophelia: Yeah, well daddy was on WEDR….
Bob: hmm
Ophelia: ……on WENN….
Bob: hmm
Ophelia: W…lemme see, what was the other station….
Bob: Was he on BCO at all?
Ophelia: What?
Bob: Was he on BCO?
Ophelia: BTO?
Bob: BCO…like “c” like Charlie.
Ophelia: No.

Full interview: 11 minutes
Audio snippet: 2 minutes