Festivals and Finds: W.E.R.D.

I attended the Sweet Auburn Music Festival this past weekend in Atlanta. I love festivals and music, so I thought “why not go?”. The festival was located on Irwin avenue. There were two stages at each end of the festival where an array of talented musicians, singers and rappers performed throughout the event. There were many street vendors selling and showcasing clothes, jewelry, African-American art and plenty of Afro-cuisine dishes. It was a nice event for an outing with family or friends and a perfect setting for a regular live-music dweller.

While exiting the festival, we noticed a small chalkboard that read “Madame CJ Walker Museum/ W.E.R.D. First Black Radio Station” on. If it wasn’t for my friend’s good eyes, I would have walked right pass the building. We decided to go in and was amazed at what we found. This was the home of WERD, the first African-American owned radio station established in 1949. The walls were stacked with hundreds of vinyl records of black music. There were pictures and posters of legendary African-American musicians, and in between were mini exhibits dedicated to displaying the history of Madam C.J. Walker and African-American haircare.

It’s amazing what historical gems may be located in your own neighborhood or town. I could give a brief history of WERD, but I would rather recommend stopping by to learn for yourself on your next trip to Atlanta, Georgia. It is located in the Prince Hall Mason building at 54 Hilliard St NE, Atlanta GA  30312. It would be a great addition to a tour of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center given that it is located close by. The museum is free and accepts donations.