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well as public service programs, educational shows, church services, radio plays, and community news. Jesse
Blayton Jr. served as WERD's program director and hired black employees such as the popular disc jockey and radio personality "Jockey Jack" Gibson. He felt that by hiring black employees and reaching a more African-American audience, WERD would keep money circulating within the community.
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in 1949 for $ 50,000, making it the first radio station to be both owned and programmed by
African-Americans. Its programming was oriented towards African-Americans, pioneering a new program format composed of mostly rhythm and blues music. WERD's other programming included jazz and gospel music, as
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In 1928 Blayton successfully passed the
Georgia accounting examination. This marked Blayton as the first African-American in the state of Georgia to be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and the fourth black CPA in the history of the United States. From 1930 until 1970, Blayton was Professor of
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shared the same building as WERD. Dr. King often visited the studio to announce the activities of his organization. Blayton's approach to the Civil Rights
Movement was through the use of politics, and his conservative approach, which led to criticism and praise. In 1950 WERD was considered a
148:, where he became recognized as the "Dean of Negro Accountants" for his encouragement of young African-Americans to pursue the profession. It was difficult for African-Americans to become CPAs, as the occupation remained largely closed to them until the late 20th century.
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In 1932, Blayton graduated with a
Bachelor's degree in business education from the Walton School of Commerce in Chicago. He then attended graduate school at the University of Chicago for business administration and graduated with his MBA in 1935.
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Blayton became co-owner and co-founder of
Atlanta's first black night club "Top Hat" in 1937. Despite this, Saturday nights were still reserved for whites only. He was also part-owner of Brown Boy Bottling Co.
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Blayton retired and sold WERD in 1968, but remained an active community leader until his death on
September 7, 1977. He died on the street, coming from a barber shop in Atlanta, Georgia. He was buried in
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Atlanta. He was posthumously inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1995, for making radio history and providing a platform for civil rights activists.
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by acting as an outlet for information about the movement and for speeches by prominent civil rights leaders. This included
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82:(1897-1977) was a radio entrepreneur, civil rights activist, professor, accountant, and businessman. Blayton founded
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133:, as a professor in accounting. There, he became a popular mentor for young African-Americans studying the subject.
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Harvee, White. "Sounds Like Civil Eights: WERD Atlanta, Radio
Advocacy, and the Black Freedom Struggle".
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WERD was so successful that in mid-1954 the
Blaytons purchased an AM station, KREL in
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340:"Blayton, Jesse B., Sr. (1879-1977) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed"
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Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of West Georgia
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Entrepreneur, Civil Rights activist, Professor, Accountant, Businessman
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National Association of Black accounting, NABA,INC.
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African-American Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs
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365:The biographical encyclopedia of American radio
178:Blayton and his radio station publicized the
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245:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
233:"Celebration of Black History in Accounting"
530:Activists for African-American civil rights
138:Mutual Federal Savings and Loan Association
125:From 1925 to 1930 Blayton was employed at
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413:. Johnson Publishing Company. 1977-09-29.
188:Southern Christian Leadership Conference
267:Sterling, Christopher H. (2013-05-13).
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191:milestone for civil rights in America.
136:He was founding president of Georgia's
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545:20th-century African-American people
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363:Sterling, H. Christopher (2013).
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106:Jesse B. Blayton Sr. was born in
270:Biographical Dictionary of Radio
540:Burials at South-View Cemetery
478:"Jesse Blayton Rites Saturday"
410:Jesse B. Blayton Sr. Biography
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304:National Radio Hall of Fame
96:National Radio Hall of Fame
57:University of Chicago, 1922
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535:Langston University alumni
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458:New Georgia Encyclopedia
384:. Infobase Publishing.
140:between 1925 and 1971.
378:Kranz, Rachel (2004).
184:Martin Luther King Jr.
300:"Jesse B. Blayton Sr"
180:civil rights movement
146:University of Atlanta
483:Atlanta Constitution
20:Jesse B. Blayton Sr.
209:South-View Cemetery
115:Langston University
170:Blayton purchased
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131:Atlanta, Georgia
108:Fallis, Oklahoma
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29:December 6, 1897
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514:Categories
463:2018-01-30
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215:References
202:Later life
196:Baytown TX
102:Early life
84:WERD (AM)
54:Education
488:Archived
241:cite web
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494:June 7,
454:"WERD"
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496:2020
386:ISBN
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172:WERD
160:WERD
40:Died
26:Born
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