When the Music Stopped: Remembering Black Radio, From AM to Algorithm
Vol. 1, Issue 6 | March 17- March 23, 2025
CURATOR'S NOTE
I don't remember where we were going, only that we were in the car, the radio was low. It was later in the day, the afternoon light slanting golden through the windows, casting shadows across the dashboard. The music—soulful and familiar—suddenly faded, replaced by silence. Then came the DJ's voice. Usually quick with a joke or a story between songs, there was something different in his tone—a heaviness my young ears couldn't place but instantly recognized as important.
"Marvin Gaye has died."
A song played. Was it "What's Going On"? Then the DJ's voice returned, no longer the voice of weekend celebration but of shared grief:
"This is not an April Fool's joke. Marvin Gaye has died... he was shot today by his father."
It was April 1, 1984. The DJ—this man whose voice had announced birthdays and anniversaries, who'd guided us through storms and celebrations—now guided us through this moment with a dignity that made the unbearable somehow bearable. His voice cracked just once, a moment of humanity that connected him to all of us listening, all of us processing this news together.
That moment—intimate yet communal—embodied what Black radio had always been: a medium that transformed private grief into shared experience, that made the personal political, that turned individual stories into collective memory. In Jacksonville, Florida—a city straddling the South's cultural boundaries, with its complex racial history shaped by both Southern segregation and the Great Migration—this tradition had been cultivated for decades, with voices like Ken Knight's carving out space on frequencies that weren't always eager to receive them.
For generations, Black radio was more than entertainment. It was a gathering place without walls, a church beyond Sunday, a family reunion that never ended. Jacksonville had its own distinctive frequency in that cultural conversation—though one that has oscillated between clarity and interference throughout its history.
Knight, who would later become a fixture in Jacksonville's broadcast landscape, understood the delicate art of speaking to and for a community. His journey began in 1947 when he made history as the first Black radio announcer in the South at WROD in Daytona Beach—a milestone carved from the granite of segregation. His voice navigated both technical constraints and the suffocating architecture of Jim Crow. Like virtually all Black radio during this era, his programming was confined to the AM dial—a technical ghetto with inferior sound quality. Yet as darkness fell, these marginalized frequencies revealed their hidden strength: signals soaring past city limits and artificial boundaries, creating an invisible network that Jim Crow's architects never imagined and couldn't control.
When Knight advocated for better placement beyond the marginal hours of "Negro programming," he wasn't merely seeking airtime—he was claiming existence in a city that had constructed elaborate legal machinery to render Black lives invisible. Each broadcast became an act of defiance, affirming the personhood that segregation sought to deny.
This quiet eloquence would play out dramatically during one of Jacksonville's darkest hours, when Knight's radio presence transcended entertainment. During Ax Handle Saturday, when Ku Klux Klan members and white supremacists violently attacked Black demonstrators at a Woolworth's lunch counter, Jacksonville's Black radio stations became lifelines humming with urgent purpose. Announcers interrupted programming with voices steady yet urgent, warning listeners about dangerous streets, directing them to safe houses, and identifying businesses offering sanctuary. While mainstream media often reported such violence with clinical detachment—if at all—Black radio's broadcasts forged an essential connection between cultural expression and civic action that defined Jacksonville's struggle for equality. Those voices, crackling through speakers in homes and cars across the city, wove an invisible net of protection through sound waves alone.
These same frequencies that carried warnings in moments of crisis also nurtured Jacksonville's cultural flowering. Knight and fellow broadcasters discovered luminaries like Ray Charles, whose soulful melodies first reached listeners through midnight rotations long before record contracts materialized, and hip hop production duo Nathaniel “C.C. Lemonhead” Orange and Johnny “Jay Ski” McGowan, whose innovative beats revolutionized Jacksonville's musical landscape decades later. Their artistry, amplified by radio's democratic reach, turned local talent into communal treasures before launching them toward national recognition.
As decades passed, the airwaves that had carried these voices evolved, their signal strengthening even as their form transformed. By the 1980s and 90s, technology expanded Black radio's reach far beyond city limits. Tom Joyner earned his nickname 'The Fly Jock' by physically commuting between Dallas and Chicago daily—broadcasting morning shows in one city and afternoon programs in the other. This extraordinary arrangement foreshadowed the coming era of syndication that would both amplify Black voices to national audiences while creating a tension between this wider reach and the local, community-specific programming that had been Black radio's traditional strength.
By the early 2000s, static began to interfere with this clear transmission. Most of these stations had either closed or been absorbed into corporate conglomerates. Few, if any, of Jacksonville's major stations remain Black-owned today. This consolidation brought tangible changes: community calendars with strict time limits, news coverage focused primarily on entertainment, playlists determined largely by corporate offices in another state. Local artists, once championed by Black-owned stations, now struggled to get airplay without national backing. The distinctive local frequency was being overridden by a standardized signal.
As corporate consolidation silenced local frequencies one by one, the wavelengths of Black expression didn't disappear—they transformed. The same creative resilience that once found voice through static-filled AM signals now navigates digital bandwidth, carrying forward a tradition of community connection that refuses to be diminished. The absence of Black-owned radio hasn't silenced Black storytelling. It’s simply changed the tuning mechanism.
The children and grandchildren of those who once gathered around Knight's broadcasts now navigate a fragmented audioscape. Their mornings begin with The Breakfast Club or The Rickey Smiley Morning Show streaming through devices that know no geography. This is not replacement but transformation; alongside these national voices, local frequencies still pulse, albeit fainter—community stations and digital initiatives that speak with Jacksonville's particular accent. The barber's chair and beauty salon seat remain venues of cultural conversation, though now these discussions weave between Charlamagne tha God's provocations and hyperlocal concerns, each space a microcosm where national and neighborhood narratives intertwine. What emerges is neither purely global nor entirely local but something more complex—a soundscape where Jacksonville listeners belong to broader cultural conversations while holding space for stories that can only be told in their own particular cadence. And as invisible algorithms increasingly determine which voices reach which ears, a new question emerges: how to ensure that in this curated audio world, signals still find reception across the divides we've built, that depth isn't sacrificed for reach, that the intimate power of voice speaking directly to community isn't lost in transmission.
History whispers a truth: Black voices need more than platforms—they need ears attuned to their particular frequency, hearts ready to receive their signal, and systems built to carry their stories forward. That relationship between signal and reception, between storyteller and community, between individual voice and institutional support, gave Black radio its cultural power.
Just as the civil rights movement created pressure that eventually opened radio to Black voices, today's movement for digital equity represents a necessary next chapter in ensuring equitable access to the airwaves—however those airwaves are now defined.
The frequency may have changed. The responsibility to listen—and to reshape the infrastructure of listening—has not. And somewhere, a digital creator is crafting their voice with the same care as that DJ in 1984, knowing that when moments of collective grief or joy arrive, their community will be listening for the familiar sound of someone who speaks their language, their history, their truth—a voice breaking through the static with the same quiet dignity, saying without saying, "I'm here with you. We'll make it through this together."
—Khalilah L. Liptrot
Curator, The Black Third
*Hurst, Rodney L., Sr. It Was Never About a Hot Dog and a Coke: A Personal Account of the 1960 Sit-in Demonstrations in Jacksonville, Florida and Ax Handle Saturday. WingSpan Press, 2008.
The ancestors whisper stories I'm compelled to catch. Coffee keeps my hands steady enough to hold them. If these stories move you, fuel the next one: $KhalilahLiptrot
FEATURED LISTENING
Black Radio: Telling It Like It Was
Apple Podcasts Selects
Black Radio: Telling It Like It Was distills forty years of history into six masterfully crafted hours, tracing Black radio’s impact on American culture through archival airchecks, interviews, and music. Blending chronology with an anthology approach, the series captures the voices of disc jockeys, executives, and historians shaping the sound of a movement. Jacquie Gales Webb and her team sifted through 400 hours of archival audio, transforming forgotten moments into a living soundscape. Produced in 1996 amid policies that eroded Black station ownership, the series remains a political act—both a historical record and an enduring inspiration for new generations of storytellers.
Access:
FEATURED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
Tennika’s Books for Kids
Jacksonville Public Library (Main) | Through March 29
Since 2018, Tenikka’s Books for Kids has placed nearly 30,000 books into the hands of Jacksonville’s young readers, not just filling shelves but shaping futures. From baby board books to coming-of-age novels, the initiative—rooted in the belief that every child deserves stories to call their own—partners with the Jacksonville Public Library’s Summer Reading Program to make each book a gift, freely given. Community members can help weave literacy into the fabric of the city by:
Contributing through specially marked #TB4K drop boxes at the Library or participating community partners
Ordering books online from a curated Wish List
Purchasing locally or online from San Marco Books & More. Note: A portion of book sales are donated back to the Library
Making a contribution to the Tenikka’s Books for Kids Fund through the Library Foundation of Jacksonville
WEEKLY CULTURAL CALENDAR
Our curated selection of this week's most compelling cultural events celebrates the depth and diversity of Black artistic expression across Northeast Florida. From intimate poetry readings to grand musical performances, each event offers a unique perspective on contemporary Black culture.
TUESDAY, MARCH 18
Diana Ross
St. Augustine Amphitheater | 7:30 PM
Diana Ross isn’t just an icon—she is a force, a singular presence who shaped the sound and style of generations. Born in Detroit’s North End, she ascended to fame as the luminous voice of The Supremes, a group that didn’t just top charts but defined an era. With hits like Stop! In the Name of Love, Where Did Our Love Go, and You Can’t Hurry Love, their music became the heartbeat of the 1960s. But Ross was never bound by one moment—her solo career soared just as high, with Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, I’m Coming Out, and Love Hangover solidifying her as a pioneer in pop, soul, and disco. A trailblazer, a storyteller, a timeless presence—Diana Ross isn’t just legendary; she is legend itself.
Access:
FRIDAY, MARCH 21
Morgan State University Choir Spring Break Concert
Southside Church of God in Christ | 7 PM
The Morgan State University Choir’s concert at Southside Church of God in Christ will be more than a performance—it will be a testament to the enduring power of Black choral tradition. Known for their rich harmonies and stirring interpretations, the choir will weave a program that spans the sacred and the classical, the contemporary and the ancestral. Their voices will do more than fill the room; they will summon memory and remind us that music has long been a vessel for both worship and resistance.
Access:
Location: 2179 Emerson Street
Contact: (904) 608-7205
ONGOING EXHIBITIONS
Fill My Heart with Hope: Works from the Gordon W. Bailey Collection
The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville | Through March 23
"Fill My Heart With Hope" presents a rich tapestry of exceptional artworks from the revered collection of acclaimed Los Angeles-based scholar and patron Gordon W. Bailey. This captivating exhibition stands as a testament to the boundless creative potential and indomitable spirit that resides within the human experience.
Access:
Tuesday-Sunday, 11 AM-5 PM
Location: 333 North Laura Street
Venus, In Healing: Recent Works by Tatiana Kitchen
Yellow House Art Gallery | Through April 12, 2025
"Venus, In Healing," a transformative solo exhibition by Tatiana Kitchen masterfully interweaves imagery of Black women with the land and cosmos. Through her evocative compositions, Kitchen draws parallels between the planet Venus and the sacred experiences of motherhood, inviting viewers into a deeply personal narrative of resilience and metamorphosis. Her work positions nature not as mere backdrop but as a vital force of restoration, offering a transcendental meditation on feminine power and spiritual rebirth.
Access:
Wednesday, 12 PM-7 PM
Saturday, 11 AM-2 PM
Location: 577 King Street
Contact: (904) 419-9180
Jacksonville’s Norman Studios: Movie Posters from the Permanent Collection
Cummer Museum of Arts & Gardens | Through December 6, 2026
Before Hollywood's rise, Florida was a hub for the early film industry, thanks to its favorable conditions. In the 1920s, Jacksonville native Richard Norman seized this opportunity, producing films featuring Black casts and protagonists that boldly challenged the status quo. Norman's innovative studio complex, now a historic landmark, stands as a testament to his trailblazing contributions to American cinema.
Access:
The museum opens at 12 PM Sunday
The museum is open until 9 PM Tuesday
Wednesday-Saturday, 11 AM-4 PM
Location: 829 Riverside Avenue
Contact: (904) 356-6857
The Museum Space
A.L. Lewis Museum at American Beach
The A.L. Lewis Museum showcases both permanent and rotating exhibits highlighting African American culture, history, and civil rights. Visitors can explore artifacts, photographs, and documents that illuminate the local community's profound influence on American history. Guided tours are highly recommended for a deeper understanding of the exhibits and the history they represent.
Access:
Friday-Saturday, 10 AM-2 PM
Sunday, 1 PM-5 PM
Visitors are encouraged to check the museum's website or call ahead for any schedule changes
Location: 1600 Julia St, American Beach
Contact: (904) 510-7036
The Road to Black History Runs Through Lincolnville
Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center
Step into over 450 years of history at the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center, located within the heart of St. Augustine's historic Lincolnville District—once home to a community of freedmen who shaped the city's cultural landscape after the Civil War. Here, the rich story of Black history in Florida unfolds, from the ancient empires of West Africa to the early Black presence in colonial Florida, through to the powerful movements of the 20th century.
The museum guides visitors through the lives of free and enslaved individuals from the Spanish colonial period to the tireless activists of the Civil Rights era, revealing how the resilience and contributions of Black Americans have left an indelible mark on the fabric of the state and nation.
Access:
Sunday-Monday, 1 PM-4:30 PM
Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30 AM-4:30 PM
Location: 102 M. L. King Avenue, St. Augustine
Contact: (904) 824-1191
Lift Ev’ry Voice
Ritz Theatre & Museum
Discover the story behind "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," the beloved anthem composed by Jacksonville natives James Weldon and John Rosamond Johnson. Step into the vibrant "Harlem of the South" nightlife captured by photographer Ellie L. Weems. Experience the quiet resolve of Civil Rights protesters at a Woolworth's sit-in. These immersive encounters at the Ritz Museum connect you to the rich tapestry of Jacksonville's African American history and heritage.
Access:
Tuesday-Friday, 10 AM-4 PM (tickets must be purchased by 3 PM)
The museum is open until 8 PM Thursday
Location: 829 North Davis Street
Contact: (904) 632-5555
Eartha M. M. White Historical Museum and Gardens
Clara White Mission
The Eartha M. M. White Historical Museum and Gardens celebrates the legacy of Dr. Eartha White and her mother, Clara English White, two African American women who dedicated their lives to community service. Located in the historic Globe Theatre in LaVilla, the museum showcases Eartha White's lifelong work to empower underserved communities, featuring portraits, personal memorabilia, and artifacts from her numerous initiatives. The museum continues Dr. White's vision by preserving and sharing Black history and culture.
Access:
Location: 613 W. Ashley Street
Contact: (904) 354-4162
Works on Paper
Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
The Cummer Museum's collection of works on paper and photographs numbers approximately 2,200 objects, nearly a quarter of which are part of the Cornelia Morse Carithers Print Collection. Featuring works by celebrated artists, the collection includes the powerful visual narrative of Jacob Lawrence's The Migrants Cast their Ballots (1974).
Access:
The museum opens at 12 PM Sunday
The museum is open until 9 PM Tuesday
Wednesday-Saturday, 11 AM-4 PM
Location: 829 Riverside Avenue
Contact: (904) 356-6857
COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS
Share details of your upcoming events here.
Deadline: Wednesdays at 5 PM
Superior writing! As a seasoned supporter, this brings back memories of me getting dressed for school tuning into Hey now Larry Brody on WPDQ, years later getting my son ready for school listening to Tom Joyner morning show, and now sharing The Rickey Smiley morning show with my 10 yr old goddaughter. Radio brings us ALL together to make lasting memories! We all remember good and not so good things by songs. Music helps us cope with the day to day!
I loved this piece because I think we can all relate to remembering a time when a moment in history changed our lives forever, even if we did not know those invloved persoaally, but it becomes personal as now it is one of our stories.