The Library of Virginia
 

WRVA Tower

Sound Recording Clips from the WRVA Radio Collection

WRVA Radio Label

 WRVA Tower
In July 2003, The Library of Virginia received a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) to preserve and reformat selected sound recordings from the WRVA Radio Collection.  These sound recordings, consisting of electrical transcriptions, acetate disks, and reel to reel tapes, contain a wide array of broadcasting from the 1930's to the 1990's. The clips below represent only a small portion of the sound recordings. To hear these sound recordings and others in their entirety, please visit The Library of Virginia in downtown Richmond. 

The recordings are for research use only.
Duplication of any recording in whole or in part is prohibited. 

 

Click on icon to play sound recordings clips
 
Capitol Squirrel Commercials Desegregation and
Massive Resistance		 Music News
 		 WRVA Anniversaries
 		 WRVA Programs

Capitol Squirrel
Click to play Capitol SquirrelCapitol Squirrel #1 (:33) Click to play Capitol SquirrelCapitol Squirrel #2 (:25)
Click to play Capitol SquirrelCapitol Squirrel #3 (:25) Click to play Capitol SquirrelCapitol Squirrel #4 (:22)

Commercials
Click to play WRVA Radio PromotionWRVA Radio Promotion (:30) Click to play Holiday Cigarettes commercialLarus & Brother Company's Holiday Cigarettes (:30)

Desegregation and Massive Resistance
Click to play Governor Stanley speechGovernor Thomas B. Stanley responds to the United States Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, May 17, 1954 (2:38) Click to play Lester Banks' testimonyLester Banks, executive secretary of the Virginia NAACP, testifies at the General Assembly's hearing on public school integration, September 5, 1956 (1:10)
Click to play Governor Almond speechGovernor J. Lindsay Almond responds to the court rulings that the Massive resistance laws are unconstitutional, January 20, 1959 (3:10)  

Music
Click to play Corn Cob Pipe ClubThe Corn Cob Pipe Club, 1933 (1:00) Click to play Old Dominion Barn DanceThe Old Dominion Barn Dance with Sunshine Sue, January 29, 1954 (:40)
Click to play Silver Star QuartetThe Silver Star Quartet, 1947 (:45) Click to play the Sunshine HourThe Sunshine Hour with Holland R. Wilkinson, December 12, 1954 (:40)
Click to play the Zahlout family The Zahlout Family, April 20, 1954 (:30) Click to play Happy Valley Girls The Happy Valley Girls, 1942 (:45)

News
Click to play Alden Aaroe news reportAlden Aaroe reports that a navy fighter jet crashes in Windsor Farms, Richmond, Virginia, December 7, 1955 (2:17) Click to Merchant's Explosion NewsMerchant's Ice and Cold Storage Company Explodes, January 16, 1958 (2:50)
Click to play Imperial Plane crash news reportImperial Plane Crash Near Byrd Field, November 1961 (1:55) Click to play A. E. S. Stephen's ConcessionA. E. S. Stephens concedes the 1961 Democratic Gubernatorial Primary to Albertis S. Harrison, July 1961 (:25)

WRVA Anniversaries
Click to play 25th Anniversary Program25th Anniversary - Survivors' Story, November 2, 1950 (1:53) Click to play 35th Anniversary Program35th Anniversary - Alden Aaroe and group depart for Hawaii, November 1960 (2:00)
   

WRVA Programs
Click to play Calling All CooksCalling All Cooks, November 1949 (3:00) Click to play Bishop's Cracker BarrelBishop's Cracker Barrel with Walter R. Bishop, WRVA's Public Relations Director, November 2, 1957 (2:00)
Click to play interview of Amos of Amos 'n' AndyC.T Lucy, General Manager of WRVA, interviews Freeman Gosden, Amos, of Amos 'n' Andy, June 21, 1950 (1:00) Click to play Richmond police question a drunk

Sideviews on the News with Jack Clements captures the Richmond police questioning a drunk person (1:00)
Click to play J. Vaughan Gary report"Your Congressman Reports" - J. Vaughan Gary of Virginia's 3rd Congressional District reports on news from the United States Congress, April 1947 (1:15)