Clipping, WBCO Goes On Air

Clipping, WBCO Goes On Air

Box 2 Folder 16: "Okay we are in folder 16 and there are 2 clippings in here these are from the microfiche at the Birmingham public library archives. One of them is an ad and we’re saying of course 1950 because, and of course this ad is dated March 31, 1950 “WBCO goes on the air: Jefferson County’s newest radio station owned and operated by the Bessemer Broadcasting Company." The ad says last Wednesday, so we checked which day March 31, 1950 was and it was a Friday. So the station went on March 29, 1950. J.E. Lanier, that would be Jess Lanier who was later to become the mayor of Bessemer, Crawford Bass, W.G. Petty, and Jack Walden. Mr. Lanier is general manager; Mr. Walden is chief engineer. The announcing staff includes Larry Keith, Lewis Kendrick who also had a spin I believe at WJLD, and Bill Donaldson. They were a white country station. In no time they became an all-black staffed station, probably in about a year. There are 2 copies of the same clipping in here. Interesting TV in those days."