In 1947, WOOK AM was launched in Washington, D.C. as the first U.S. broadcast radio station to feature  African-American broadcasters serving African-American audiences.  Originally located at 1580 on the AM dial, the station swapped call letters and channels with WINX AM, moving to 1340 AM in 1955.  According to the Stepfather of Soul blog, WOOK AM battled with WUST AM and WOL AM during the classic soul era for dominance of D.C.'s airwaves until 1975. 

The legacy of 1340 AM and OK 100.3 FM was re-imagined in 2013 as WOOK Radio DC, a cross-media radio platform featuring the art and culture of metropolitan Washington.  The station's 'DMV fusion' programming and brand stand as a tribute to the original stations.

WOOK 1640 AM's broadcast footprint will initially serve communities in D.C.'s Ward 8 and Oxon Hill, Maryland from studios located at 801 Southern Avenue SE.  Over-the-air coverage will be expanded to other communities as popular demand warrants.