Hal Jackson Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Hal Jackson

Born	Harold Baron Jackson (1915-11-03)3 November 1915 Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Died	23 May 2012(2012-05-23) (aged 96) New York, New York, USA
Career
Show	Sunday Classics
Station(s)	WBLS – New York KGFJ/ KUTE – Los Angeles
Country	United States
Previous show(s)	The Bronze Review WINX-Washington, D.C. The House That Jack Built WOOK-Washington, D.C.

Harold Baron Jackson (born November 3, 1915 – died May 23, 2012) was an American disc jockey and radio personality. He was famous for helping to break down unfair rules against Black people in American radio broadcasting.

Hal Jackson's Early Life
Hal Jackson's Amazing Radio Career
Hal Jackson's Passing
See also

Hal Jackson's Early Life

Jackson was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He was the fifth child of Eugene and Laura Jackson. His father worked as a tailor. When Hal was young, his parents passed away. He then grew up in Washington, D.C., where his relatives raised him. He went to Howard University but did not finish his degree there.

Hal Jackson's Amazing Radio Career

Starting as a Sportswriter

Hal Jackson began his career writing about sports. He wrote for the Washington DC Afro-American newspaper. He covered local and national sports events for Black athletes.

Becoming a Radio Pioneer

In the 1940s, Hal Jackson made history. He became one of the very first African American sports announcers on the radio. He broadcasted baseball games for Howard University. He also covered games for the Homestead Grays, a team in the Negro Leagues.

In 1940, he became the first African American host at station WINX in Washington. His show was called The Bronze Review, and it was an interview program that aired every night. Later, he hosted The House That Jack Built. This show played jazz and blues music on three different radio stations in the Washington-Baltimore area.

Moving to New York City

In November 1949, Jackson moved to New York City. He was hired by station WLIB. This station wanted to have more programs for Black listeners. By 1954, Hal Jackson became the first radio personality to host three different shows every day. These shows were on three different New York stations! About four million listeners tuned in each night. They loved Jackson's mix of music and talks with famous jazz and entertainment stars.

Building a Radio Empire

In 1971, Jackson teamed up with Percy Sutton. Sutton was a former leader in Manhattan. Together, they started the Inner City Broadcasting Corporation (ICBC). This company bought WLIB, making it the first radio station in New York owned and run by African Americans.

The next year, ICBC bought WLIB-FM. They changed its name to WBLS. This new station aimed to offer "the total Black experience in Sound." By the late 2000s, ICBC owned and operated many stations. These included stations in New York, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Hal Jackson was the group chairman of ICBC.

There was a challenge with the flagship station's signal. It shared its frequency with WOWO in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The FCC would not let them change frequencies. So, Inner City Broadcasting did something amazing. They bought WOWO just to lower its signal strength! This allowed the New York transmitters to become much more powerful. They could then be heard across the entire New York area all the time.

Still on Air at 95!

Even in February 2011, when he was 95 years old, Hal Jackson was still on the air! He hosted Sunday Classics on WBLS every Sunday. His wife of 25 years, Deborah Bolling Jackson (known as Debi B.), often joined him.

Awards and Honors

Hal Jackson received many important awards for his long career.

In 1990, he was the first minority person to be added to the National Association of Broadcaster's Hall of Fame.
In 1995, he became the first African American to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
In 2001, the Broadcast and Cable Hall of Fame also honored Jackson.
For over 11 years, his show Hal Jackson Sunday Morning Classics was rated No. 1 by Arbitron in its time slot on 107.5 WBLS.
In 2003, he received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.
In October 2010, he was called a "Giant in Broadcasting" by the Library of American Broadcasting.
Jackson was also listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. He was recognized as the oldest broadcaster, with an amazing 73-year career!

Hal Jackson also started the Hal Jackson Talented Teens International Competition. This competition helps young talented teens.

Hal Jackson's Passing

Hal Jackson passed away peacefully in New York City on May 23, 2012. He was 96 years old. His wife and three children were with him. He often ended his radio shows with a special motto. He would remind his listeners, "It's nice to be important, but it's important to be nice."

Hal Jackson facts for kids

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