Black Man Fired from White News Station, Then Starts Black-Owned Radio Station WDKX
Langston moved his wife, Gloria Langston, and their son, Andre Langston, to Rochester after landing a job offer at local TV station Channel 8 WROC. But as soon as he arrived, the station realized he was Black and immediately turned him away, refusing to put him on camera.
To provide for his family, Langston took on multiple jobs, working as an insurance agent, a barber, and a salesman at National Clothing Company. One of his most notable clients at National Clothing was Joseph Wilson, the founder of Xerox. Over time, the two built a friendship, discussing all kinds of topics, including Langston’s dream of starting his own radio station.
Frustrated by the mistreatment of Black people, race riots, and the lack of real news coverage, Langston wanted to create a station that would give the unheard a voice. Wilson believed in his vision and promised him space atop the Xerox Tower, the tallest building in Rochester, for his antenna once he secured the station. Their agreement? Written on a napkin.
In 1968, Langston traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with the FCC and apply for a license to broadcast on 103.9 MHz. Six years later, on April 6, 1974, at 5:30 a.m., WDKX officially hit the airwaves. Wilson kept his promise, and the WDKX antenna was placed atop the Xerox Tower, where it still stands today.
Langston carefully chose the station’s call letters, DKX, to honor three Black leaders who shaped history: Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X.
The general manager of WROC-TV Channel 8 in 1962, William R. Reagan, was responsible for the station’s operations, including hiring decisions at that time.
Andrew A. Langston’s impact on broadcasting was undeniable. He received the Rochester Radio Broadcaster of the Year Award, the National Association of Black-Owned Broadcasters Pioneer Award, and was part of the inaugural class inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He passed away in 2010, but his legacy still speaks.
When man says no, God says yes to something greater. WDKX remains the only Black-owned radio station in New York State. Go out there and start your business—God will take care of the rest. Understanding the key to success in any area is building relationships. What you know is important, but who knows you and who you know is everything.
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