If you’ve ever looked at the call letters on a radio station, they may have seemed like just letters to you.
But at WDKX Radio in Rochester, NY the “D” stands for Frederick Douglass, the “K” for Martin Luther King Jr. and the “X” is for Malcolm X.
Amid a media landscape where many Black radio stations advertising to Black listeners aren’t owned by Black people, WDKX exemplifies the legacy and power of independent Black media. This year, the station celebrates 50 years in business.
According to the African American Public Radio Consortium, an estimated 10,000 commercial radio stations broadcast daily in the U.S. but fewer than 1% are Black-owned. This disparity reveals more than just a gap in ownership; it highlights a systemic issue that leaves fewer Black leaders in charge of the voices and messages that claim to speak for Black people.
“Anybody can play Black music or put Black programming on, but there’s a different type of authenticity and relationship when it comes from Black creators,” says Andria Langston, WDKX’s current co-owner and national sales manager.
Langston is the daughter of Andre Langston and the granddaughter of Andrew Langston, who founded WDKX in 1974 in Rochester. While the city in northern New York is often celebrated as a destination for abolitionists like Frederick Douglass, that doesn’t mean racism wasn’t alive and well in the area.
“My grandfather was a visionary, and interestingly enough, he moved to Rochester, New York because he was promised a job at CBS in television,” Langston tells theGrio. “But when he got there and they saw that he was Black, they didn’t want to put him on television. And being in Rochester during the Rochester riots, my grandparents saw that there was a need for our story to be told.”
Today, WDKX is a beacon of resilience, standing as one of the last Black-owned, independently operated radio stations in the U.S. The station hosts community events and highlights issues related to health, education, and politics. Its mission is deeply rooted in the vision of Mr. Langston, who fought through regulatory and racial barriers to establish a platform dedicated to authentic Black voices. For Andria, who began learning the business of the station at five years old, it’s deeply meaningful.
“I’m a third-generation owner and watching my grandfather build this station just in my lifetime and watching my father carry it on, I think that’s a testimony to just even the American dream; of the things that can be accomplished through perseverance and community and just staying focused on your goals,” Langston tells theGrio.
Like many Black-owned public radio stations, WDKX attracts socially conscious, culturally aware listeners who contribute to keeping this legacy alive. Although many African-American public radio stations are licensed to universities — comprising 70% of all such stations, including NPR affiliates — WDKX is one of the few that remains independently operated.
This weekend, as WDKX celebrates its 50th anniversary, it does so as a testament to the importance of Black ownership in media. From its dedication to unfiltered storytelling to its ability to build authentic connections, WDKX remains a crucial voice in an era where community-focused, Black-owned media is needed more than ever. For listeners in Rochester and beyond, WDKX isn’t just a radio station. It’s a reminder of the power and resilience found in owning one’s own narrative.
“My grandfather was in his 40s when he finally got the radio station up and going,” Langston explains. “So you can have a dream in your 20s and it takes you years to accomplish it. Don’t give up on your dreams. Keep going. Because you have time and there’s enough out here for everybody.”