WPKN Special Broadcasts

Dr. D (Dwayne Smith), Kiden Smith, Steve di Costanzo, and guests present a special podcast exploring the music, traditions, and history of Juneteenth; the federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States and celebrating Black freedom, resilience, and cultural achievement. Featuring the eclectic sounds of Beyoncé, Big K.R.I.T. feat. B.B. King, Nina Simone, Earth, Wind & Fire, Donny Hathaway, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Betty Davis, and more. Through music and conversation, the program traces the enduring legacy of Black artistry, resistance, and joy.

What is WPKN Special Broadcasts?

Often live, unique, remote, out-in-the-wild WPKN broadcasts.

WPKN, cited as “the greatest radio station in the world” by The New Yorker, founded in 1963 as a 100-watt campus outlet, WPKN is today a 10,000-watt listener-supported community radio station broadcasting at 89.5 FM and streaming online at WPKN.org. WPKN’s terrestrial signal now reaches to a listenership of 1.5 million people in Connecticut, Long Island, parts of New York and Massachusetts. Operating 24/7 and largely run by volunteers, WPKN offers a unique and eclectic mix of live and recorded music, news, public affairs, spoken word, arts and culture and other free-form programming which defy genre. WPKN is proud to be listener-supported, commercial-free, community-driven radio available to the public at no cost, any time, day or night.