MSS 422 Eddie Saunders Papers

              MSS 422
James Edward Saunders Coll ection
1/ 8 cubic foot
Preliminary inventory
1 Co1 lection Synopsis
Provenance: The Ohio Historical Society acquired the James Edward Saunders
Collection as a g i f t of James E. Saunders, Columbus, Ohio, in October 1974.
James P. Mayes processed the collection in January 1979. Robert W. Viol
revised the inventory in November 1983.
Property rights: The Ohio Historical Society owns the property rights to
t h i s collection.
Copyrights: James Edward Saunders has dedicated such copyrights as he
possesses in t h i s collection to the public. Consideration of all other
copyrights i s the responsibility of the author and publisher.
Access: This collection i s open under the rules and regulations of the Ohio
Historical Society.
Citation: Researchers are requested to c i t e collection name, collection
nuxber, and the Ohio Historical Society in a l l footnote and bibliographic
references.
Transfers: Photographs and audio tape recordings were transferred to the
audiovisual collections in October 1974.
Biographical sketch: Jmes Edward ( Eddie) Saunders was born in Covington,
Kentucky, in 1909. He graduated from Garnett High School in Charleston,
West Virginia, and attended West Virginia State University and Uanzer Vocal
School. After graduation he toured the country as a gospel singer with the
Kings of Harmony and in 1937 noved to Columbus, Ohio, where he formed his
own group, the Gospel Tr~ mpets.
Saunders joined radio station WHKC ( l a t e r WTVN) in 19d4 and inaugurated
programs t i t l e d " Helping Hand" and " Swanee Hour," He became central Ohio's
f i r s t black disc jockey when he hosted " Chatter Platter" on WRFD radio in
1947. In 1948 he joined radio station WVKO, Columbus's f i r s t and only black
s t a t i o n . Saunders continued to play gospel music but also programmed rhythm
and blues, the f i r s t disc jockey to do so in the area. He worked a t { IVKO
until 1979 when he became semi- retired, hosting only one radio orogram on
Sunday mornings. Active within the Columbus community Saunders has received
honors from the National Urban League, the Ohio General Assembly, the Columbus
City Council, and other organizations.
Source: Interview with Eddie Saunders , November 1983; Col umbus Citizen
Journal, October 25, 1978.