Date of Defense
4-27-2026
Date of Graduation
5-2026
Department
English
First Advisor
Steve Feffer
Second Advisor
Shonda Buchanan
Abstract
Kalamazoo, Michigan’s black history runs deep. This thesis aims to trace that black history, and situate it within the realm of black radio as a cultural phenomenon. Rising to its provenance in the mid-1960s, black radio has been, and continues to be, a rallying point for African American communities across the U.S., particularly in Chicago and Detroit. Kalamazoo, a halfway point between these two major cities, has a lack of such stations. Exploring the lack of black radio in Kalamazoo during the 1950s through 70s, this work presents a connection between the existence of black programming and the experience of the black soldier in the Vietnam War. By tracing local black history, defining black radio, and outlining black disenfranchisement during the Vietnam War, the interconnectivity between radio and war is revealed.
Recommended Citation
Koch, Amelia, "Radio as War: An Exploration of Kalamazoo Black Radio in the Vietnam War Era" (2026). Honors Theses. 4087.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/4087
Access Setting
Honors Thesis-Open Access
Presentation