Black Radio Stations

 A 1956 studio picture of Eugene Potts aka Genial Gene.  He is considered the master mind behind the earlier success of the radio station and paved the way for many of the future disc jockey's who would later become success stories within Charlotte, NC.

 

 

A 1956 studio picture of Chattie Leeper better known as Chatty Hatty. Chattie Leeper became the first black female disc jockey at WGIV. Breaking both racial and gender barriers she was also the first female disc jockey in North Carolina. Known as the queen with the golden voice, she was inducted into the Black Radio Hall of Fame for her impact on radio in Charlotte and throughout the South.

A 1965 article appearing in the Charlotte Observer announcing April first as the launch date of WRPL radio station in Charlotte, NC.

A 1965 picture of DJ  David "Jo Jo" Samuels appearing in the Charlotte Observer.

Featured in this section of the exhibit  are radion stations WGIV and WRPL which paved the way for the development of black radio in Charlotte. In 1947 WGIV became the first radio station to target an exclusively black audience in Charlotte,NC.   Broadcasted on 1600am WGIV was a vital musical venue to launch local artist careers and helped shape the political discourse within the black community.  WGIV launched the careers of some of the most important radio disc jockeys during the 1950’s -1960’s.  Pioneering WGIV historical influence was Eugene Potts the first black disc jockey hired by the station.  Eugene Potts was considered part of the Original 13, which is a term referring  to the first thirteen disc jockeys hired fulltime on radio stations throughout the South.  He was considered the master mind behind the earlier success of the radio station and paved the way for some of Charlotte most successful disc jockeys such as Chattie  Leeper and  Ray Gooding. 

WGIV signed off on the air in  2003 but return years later to rebroadcast on FM frequency 103.3.  Also highlighted on this page is a relative obscure black radio station, WRPL which went on the air in 1965 to compete with WGIV.