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The
founder
of
WGPR-TV
was
William
V. Banks
an
attorney,
businessman,
FM Radio
owner
and
founder
of a
fraternal
order:
The
International
Free and
Accepted
Modern
Masons
Inc.,
and
Order of
Eastern
Stars.
Dr.
Banks
started
the
first
black
owned FM
station
in
Michigan,
WGPR FM
107.5.
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From
Broadcast
Pioneer
to
Historic
Landmark:
WGPR-TV
62 makes
National
Register
DETROIT,
MI - The
WGPR-TV
Historical
Society
is proud
to
announce
that
WGPR-TV,
located
at 3146
East
Jefferson
in
Detroit,
has been
approved
by the
National
Park
Service
for
listing
on the
National
Register
of
Historic
Places.
The
National
Register
of
Historic
Places
is the
United
States
federal
government's
official
list of
districts,
sites,
buildings,
structures,
and
objects
deemed
worthy
of
preservation
for
their
historical
significance.
WGPR-TV
earned
this
honor
for
being
the
first
television
station
in the
United
States
to be
independently
owned
and
operated
by
African
Americans.
The
station
went on
the air
on
September
29, 1975
and for
the next
twenty
years
was a
career
springboard
for
young
people
looking
for that
first
job in
television,
in front
of or
behind
the
camera.
The
original
programming
produced
by WGPR
was
exceptional
in the
market.
Without
a
network
affiliation
the
station
had to
create
its own
line-up
of
shows.
There
was “The
Scene”
the
popular
dance
show
that
drew
recording
artists
from
Stevie
Wonder
to the
Four
Tops to
appear
with
host Nat
Morris
on the
show.
There
were a
variety
of
ethnic
programs
including
a Polish
dance
show and
Greek
Talk
show.
There
are
videos
clips of
these
and
other
original
programs
are on
display
at the
William
V. Banks
Broadcast
Museum.
WGPR was
also the
first
station
in the
market
to
remain
on the
air
twenty-four
hours a
day
thanks
to “All
Night
Movies”.
The
founder
of
WGPR-TV
was
William
V. Banks
an
attorney,
businessman,
FM Radio
owner
and
founder
of a
fraternal
order:
The
International
Free and
Accepted
Modern
Masons
Inc.,
and
Order of
Eastern
Stars.
Dr.
Banks
started
the
first
black
owned FM
station
in
Michigan,
WGPR FM
107.5.
Visit
the
museum
and see
an
exhibit
panel
about
Dr.
Banks
and the
video of
his
interview
about
being
invited
to the
White
House
and the
promise
made by
then
President
Richard
Nixon.
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