Hal Jackson's 100th birthday - November 3rd, 1915 - RIP

Story by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

November 3, 1915 Harold Baron Jackson, Hall of Fame Radio Personality and Disc Jockey, was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and raised in Washington, D. C.

Jackson began his broadcasting career as the first African American Radio Sports Announcer, broadcasting Howard University 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.

Jackson moved to New York City in 1954 and became the first radio personality to broadcast three daily shows on three different stations. In 1971, he was one of the founders of the Inner City Broadcasting Corporation which acquired WLIB, the first African American owned and operated radio station in New York City.

Jackson was inducted into the National Association of Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame in 1990, the first Non-White Broadcaster inducted, and the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1995, as the first African-American inductee.

In 2003, he was presented a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and in 2010 was named a “Giant in Broadcasting” by the Library of American Broadcasting.


Jackson died May 23, 2012.