Hal Jackson
Encyclopedia
Harold Baron Jackson is an American disk jockey and radio personality who broke a number of color barriers in American radio broadcasting.
and grew up in Washington, D.C.
where he was educated at Howard University
.
games and local Negro league baseball
games.
In 1939, he became the first African American host at WINX
/Washington with The Bronze Review, a nightly interview program. He later hosted talk show
, a program of jazz
and blues
on WOOK-TV
.
Jackson moved to New York in 1954 and became the first radio personality to broadcast three daily shows on three different New York stations. Four million listeners tuned in nightly to hear Jackson’s mix of music and conversations with jazz and show business celebrities.
In 1971, Jackson and Percy Sutton
, a former Manhattan borough president, co-founded the Inner City Broadcasting Corporation (ICBC), which acquired WLIB
— becoming the first African-American owned-and-operated station in New York. The following year, ICBC acquired WLIB-FM, changing its call letters to WBLS
("the total BLack experience in Sound"). As of the late 2000s ICBC, of which Jackson is group chairman, owns and operates stations in New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Fort Lauderdale, Columbia, South Carolina, and Jackson, Mississippi.
As of February 2011, nonagenarian Jackson continues to host Sunday Classics on WBLS each Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m., with Clay Berry and Deborah Bolling Jackson, known professionally as Debi B., his wife of 23 years.
In 1990 Hal Jackson was the first minority inducted into the National Association of Broadcaster's Hall of Fame. In 1995, he became the first African-American inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. He was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation
in 2003. In October 2010 he was named a "Giant in Broadcasting" by the Library of American Broadcasting.
Jackson is the founder of the Hal Jackson Talented Teens Miss International Competition.
Early years
Jackson was born in Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
and grew up in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
where he was educated at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
.
Career
Jackson began his broadcasting career as the first African-American radio sports announcer, broadcasting Howard’s home baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
games and local Negro league baseball
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
games.
In 1939, he became the first African American host at WINX
WLXE
WLXE is a radio station broadcasting on 1600 kHz in the mediumwave AM band. Its studios and transmitters are located in Rockville, Maryland, and it serves the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. WLXE broadcasts music programming in the Spanish language...
/Washington with The Bronze Review, a nightly interview program. He later hosted talk show
The House That Jack Built
The House That Jack Built may refer to:* "This Is the House That Jack Built", English nursery rhymeBooks* The House that Jack Built Music* "The House That Jack Built" , by Aretha Franklin...
, a program of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
on WOOK-TV
WFDC-TV
WFDC-DT is a full-powered Univision affiliate licensed to Arlington, Virginia in the Washington, D.C. market. Located on virtual channel 14 the station's transmitter is located on WRC-TV's tower.-History:...
.
Jackson moved to New York in 1954 and became the first radio personality to broadcast three daily shows on three different New York stations. Four million listeners tuned in nightly to hear Jackson’s mix of music and conversations with jazz and show business celebrities.
In 1971, Jackson and Percy Sutton
Percy Sutton
Percy Ellis Sutton was a prominent black American political and business leader. A civil-rights activist and lawyer, he was also a Freedom Rider and the legal representative for Malcolm X...
, a former Manhattan borough president, co-founded the Inner City Broadcasting Corporation (ICBC), which acquired WLIB
WLIB
WLIB is an urban contemporary gospel AM radio station located in New York City. WLIB is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation along with sister station WBLS...
— becoming the first African-American owned-and-operated station in New York. The following year, ICBC acquired WLIB-FM, changing its call letters to WBLS
WBLS
WBLS is an urban adult contemporary FM radio station in New York City, operating on 107.5 MHz. WBLS is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation along with sister station WLIB...
("the total BLack experience in Sound"). As of the late 2000s ICBC, of which Jackson is group chairman, owns and operates stations in New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Fort Lauderdale, Columbia, South Carolina, and Jackson, Mississippi.
As of February 2011, nonagenarian Jackson continues to host Sunday Classics on WBLS each Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m., with Clay Berry and Deborah Bolling Jackson, known professionally as Debi B., his wife of 23 years.
In 1990 Hal Jackson was the first minority inducted into the National Association of Broadcaster's Hall of Fame. In 1995, he became the first African-American inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. He was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation
Rhythm and Blues Foundation
The Rhythm and Blues Foundation is an independent American nonprofit organization dedicated to the historical and cultural preservation of rhythm and blues music....
in 2003. In October 2010 he was named a "Giant in Broadcasting" by the Library of American Broadcasting.
Jackson is the founder of the Hal Jackson Talented Teens Miss International Competition.