It isn't the first station you think of when you're talking historic Detroit radio, like WJR or even CKLW way back when. But WCHB, the gospel station at 1340 AM, holds a special place in not only Motown, but in U.S. radio history.

It was created and owned by the first Black family to ever build a station up from literally nothing. It started 69 years ago, in 1956. And it almost came to an entirely different city. 

“Grandma Bell said they put three cities in a hat. One was (in) Texas, and I believe that was probably because her sister … lived in Texas. I think the third one was (in) West Virginia, and Detroit was second. They drew Detroit twice, so they decided to come to Detroit.”

The history of WCHB: The first Black-owned and operated radio station from the ground up