When Twana James first moved to the Fredericksburg area in 2013, she applied to all the local radio stations but found that there were very few Black radio personalities — and no station that specifically catered to that community’s culture and interests.
More than a decade later, from a small, soundproof room in her business, she took it upon herself to fill what she saw as a gaping hole in the region’s media landscape.
In April 2025, James founded the internet-radio station Black Fredericksburg Radio, which covers the Fredericksburg region’s African-American population.
“We are in a media desert here,” James said. “There’s Black media in Richmond and Washington D.C. and they mention this area, but generally there’s no specific coverage that’s devoted to the people that live in this area. There’s never been any black-owned media, so I’m excited that we’re off to a running start.”
The station currently reaches out to the public through its website, app and social media platforms. James, as program director, works alongside volunteers who have sought to bring news, history, community affairs and music to the ears of its growing listener base, which includes Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline and King George counties in addition to the City of Fredericksburg.
“There’s a lot of events that go on around here, but we don’t know each other,” she said. “It’s kind of secluded, each little group. If you’re in a fraternity or a sorority, you know what they do, but the people at large don’t. It’s a wonder to me why we don’t hear things on a larger scale.”
James and her business partner Reiko Carter offer a media source that caters to the region’s African-American community. (Photo by Tyrone Brown/Clean Images)
People are the most important aspect of Black Fredericksburg Radio’s or BLKFBG’s coverage. An example James gave was a recent discussion with Gaila Sims, former vice president of Programs and Interpretation for the Fredericksburg Area Museum. The discussion centered on the upcoming monument set to replace the Slave Block that had been removed from its place in the city’s downtown area in 2020.
The response to the station from the community was one of overwhelming support. In its short lifetime, BLKFBG has attracted 15 volunteers, which have allowed it to grow. Examples of this growth include its Sunday Gospel show and a daily vignette called, “One Minute For God,” both hosted by James’ business partner Reiko Carter.
James singled out Carter and his family as crucial to the setup of BLKFGB, including setting up equipment and bringing in furniture. Another customer-turned-volunteer named Evan Key helped to improve the operation by sound-proofing the studio alongside members of his family.
Another vignette is called, “The Inner CEO” with life coach Latissa Cobbs. Known as Coach T, Cobbs encourages entrepreneurs in various ways to help them grow their businesses. Volunteer Tamara McCoy hosts “The Connect,” which is the station’s vignette for its weekly events calendar. McCoy is a former Richmond radio personality and retired from the Rappahannock Community Services Board.
The show “Did You Know” discusses the local Black history in Fredericksburg. It was through her work on this show that James learned about the city’s first Black mayor, the Rev. Lawrence Davies. Her status as a transplant to the region left her and many others like her in the dark about this fact, one that James said should be highlighted and celebrated.
In addition to the talk shows, BLKFGB also plays a selection of music from different formats. This includes Urban Contemporary, Quiet Storm and Gospel all of which is paid for through a subscription to an online service which covers the licensing. On Friday nights the station brings in DJ Half Pint to create mixes with the goal to get people out of their seats and dancing.
A native of Arlington, James is no stranger to the world of radio, starting out as a cub reporter at WKYS in Washington D.C. from the ages of 12 to 17. She credits her time there for helping her overcome a stutter when speaking. During her career, James co-hosted a radio show with BET personality Melvin Lindsey and later joined the military as a broadcaster.
James left radio in 2015 to start a family. She left her position at WABA in Rosslyn and became an at-home mother. But her love for radio never faded.
She said her return with BLKFGB was the culmination of taking action to inform her community about upcoming events, issues and the history of African-Americans in the area. In talking about these aspects with her customers, James felt there was a desire for the community to learn about these things that wasn’t being fulfilled by the available media outlets.
As the station closes in on its first full year of operation, James has a number of goals for the coming year. This includes finding more volunteers, going live on the FM radio band, expanding the studio and turning the effort into a full-time job.
BLKFBG also plans to premier new podcasts such as “Unmuted Minds,” which will look at mental health and “Up With The Family,” which will take a look at issues facing Black families. Another upcoming show will be “The Showcase” which will spotlight local bands.
The station hopes to gain non-profit status, which would allow them to grow and do more community initiatives. The station has already collaborated with other nonprofits, including supporting the recent Harambe 360 Black Arts Festival.
James said that they’re always looking for more people willing to help out at BLKFGB: “We’re here, we exist. We’re always looking for contributors. We’re looking for people who want to see Black media in this area and we’re here to celebrate culture and community. Anything that involves that, we’re open to receive it.”
