Jesse B. Blayton Sr By: Yasmine

All about Jesse Jesse B. Blayton Sr. was born in Fallis, Oklahoma on December 6, 1897, and attended the Walton School in Chicago. He went on to study at the University of Chicago before moving to Atlanta, Georgia to practice as an accountant in 1922. Blayton was talented and ambitious enough to succeed in a profession that included very few black Americans at any level. In 1928 he passed the examination to become Georgia's first black CPA and the fourth nationwide. He became known as the "Dean of Negro Accountants," did a great deal to encourage blacks to enter the profession, in particular through his work as a professor at the University of Atlanta, but the profession remained largely closed to blacks until late in the twentieth century. Blayton pursued his career undaunted, eventually becoming president of an Atlanta bank. But he is more widely known as the owner and operator of the 1,000-watt Atlanta radio station WERD, which he purchased for $50,000 in 1949.

Why did I pick this person ? I picked him because he set up a pathway for blacks to become, accountants and to encouraged them to go to college He also was a civil rights activist

Background information He fired the all-white staff and hired Jack Gibson to devise programming that would have what they called "Negro appeal," specifically rhythm-and-blues music. Blayton was the first black owner and operator of a radio station in the United States. Up until that point white-owned stations had targeted black listeners, employing black DJs and station managers. But white station owners were generally nervous about programs that promoted the civil rights message. WERD played an important part as an outlet for information and speeches from the growing black civil rights movement. The station was situated in rooms at the Prince Hall Masons Grand Lodge in Atlanta, just upstairs from the headquarters of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, headed by Martin Luther King Jr. He had one child named Jesse B. Blayton Jr

His achievements In 1928 he passed the examination to become Georgia's first black CPA Radio Hall of Fame inductee, 1995

Why is it important? It is important because it shows young black men and women that you can do anything you put your mind to if you study really hard and don’t let anyone tell you “oh your black you wont be able to get the job

The effect of his achievement Blayton hired radio veteran Jack Gibson to be an announcer and Ken Knight to be program director. WERD’s “black appeal” format became an instant success with African-American listeners. His radio made voices be heard all over the country meaning the abuse on blacks isn't just happening in your town but every town in the united states

My opinion Even though it wasn’t much on his like personal life ( assuming he wanted his personal info to be private) doing this project helped me learn something new about another first African American that did something successful and meaningful

http://biography. jrank. org/pages/2898/Blayton-Jesse-B-Sr http://biography.jrank.org/pages/2898/Blayton-Jesse-B-Sr.html http://radiohof.org/jesse_blayton.htm