Harold “Hal” Jackson
November 3, 1915 – May 23, 2012
Known as the Godfather of Black Radio, Hal Jackson was an African-American broadcaster whose career stretched all the way back to the 1930s. Jackson started his radio career at Howard University where he announced the school’s home games along with those of the local Negro Baseball League, making him the first African-American sports commentator in U.S. history. In 1939, he became the first Black host at Washington DC’s WNIX where he hosted an interview show and later, a jazz program. By the mid ’50s, Jackson was living in New York City where he was employed by three radio stations where he hosted a nightly shows dedicated to jazz and celebrity interviews. He eventually became the Vice President and General Manager of Inner City Broadcasting, owners of WLIB and WBLS where he hosted Sunday Classics until the time of his passing. Hal Jackson was 96 when he passed away on May 23, 2012.