KWUR was founded on July 4, 1976, at Washington University in St. Louis, and represents one of the last remaining independent and fully student-managed radio stations in the United States.

[1] Commercial-free programming, including rock, surf-rock, garage-rock, hip-hop, punk, metal, world, goth-industrial, classical, reggae, jazz, blues, electronica, talk, experimental, and Washington University sports, represent KWUR's freeform format.

[2] Although KWUR is only a class D FM station with a 9-watt effective radiated power (originally 10 watts), its location on the Washington University campus allows reception over the lively and focal Delmar Loop.

[3] KWUR roots go back to a small carrier current AM station, KFRH, serving the Forsyth Residence Halls at Washington University in St. Louis in 1961.

The show's fans, known as "The Fun One Hundred" would gather around the station's parking lot on Friday nights, resulting in the first semblance of a St. Louis punk scene.