In March of 1977 Jimmie Porter stated "radio for the Black community was an idea whose time had come." With this in mind, Porter founded KBBG FM 88.1 as AFRO- AMERICAN COMMUNITY BROADCASTING, INC. This station was incorporated to fulfill the needs, interests, and wishes of ethnic minority people. Porter felt KBBG would help teach about Black culture and lifestyles which had not been accurately represented in the media. With this motivation in mind, KBBG conducted its first equipment test of 10 watts of power on July 26, 1978. This allowed KBBG to transmit programming within a 4-5 mile radius. By August of that same year, the late Cuba Treadwell, Sr. cut the ribbon that signified the first full day of broadcasting for KBBG.

With continued motivation, not being satisfied with low wattage and transmission in mono, KBBG took a step forward. In 1980 KBBG purchased over $100,000 in new equipment, offering a whole new broadcast light. With this new equipment, the station could now transmit within a 45-50 mile radius, allowing KBBG to reach a greater audience. On December 27, 1980, KBBG moved from 10 watts to10, 000 watts of power. Today KBBG-FM is a station on the move.

KBBG FM has been the training ground for a number of Waterloo residents who went on to successful careers in broadcasting at such varied locations as KBBG-FM; KMTV- Omaha, NB;CBS - New York NY; American Urban Radio Network (SBN) - Pittsburgh, PA; KXEL Radio - Waterloo, IA and WTAR - Norfolk VA, among others. KBBG-FM 88.1 stands as proof of what can be accomplished with community support.

When we began broadcasting in 1978, we had a five mile radius, 10 watts of power and a staff of volunteers. Today we have a 60 mile radius, 10,000 watts of power and 11 employees. KGGB is the largest African - American owned and operated non-commercial education radio station in Iowa. Governed by a board of directors, KBBG is an affiliate of the American Urban Radio Network (SBN), the largest African - American radio news network in the United States We are also a member supported station of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Washington, D.C. KBBG enriches lives of our listening audience by promoting community harmony, diversity and inter-cultural awareness. We have been educating, informing and entertaining our listeners for over 25 years through our culturally diverse - yet culturally specific broadcast programming. Since 1988, KBBG-FM has provided over $5,467,000 in Public Service Announcements to non-profit organizations.

While we have made great strides in the past, we will make even greater ones as we enter the 21st century. We anticipate a future with more public forums on current issues, live productions, and a wider variety of educational programming, communication classes and church choir broadcasts, among other initiatives. KBBG not only reached, but exceeded its Capital Campaign goal of $495,000. We also received a grant donated by the Commerce Department (NTIA) in the amount of $113,000 for new equipment and $50,000 in professional services for this project. For these reasons, KBBG is proud to stand as a model of encouragement relative to self-development and the utilization of media as an educational tool. KBBG's motto "COMMUNICATE TO EDUCATE" is thoroughly enforced as KBBG provides the unique opportunity for Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Northeast Iowa to become more accurately informed about minority persons and the many artistic achievements of African - Americans.

On Saturday, October 22, 1994 the KBBG-FM Ground Breaking Ceremony took place for the future home of KBBG's new broadcast facility at 918 Newell Street, Waterloo, IA. A 199 ft. tower was erected on Tuesday, February 21, 1996 and the first broadcast took place on the same day. A Community Open House was held on Saturday, March 9th, followed by a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony during KBBG's Grand Opening on Saturday, June 29, 1996. On July 10, 1998, less than four years from the date of the Ground Breaking Ceremony, KBBG celebrated another mile-stone. It was on this date that we held our Mortgage Burning Ceremony.