The first African-American star of U.S. network radio, Hal Jackson, has died.
The iconic DJ passed away on Wednesday (23May12) after suffering an undisclosed illness. He was in his late 90s.
After a successful stint as the first black sports announcer in Washington, he moved to New York in the 1950s and hosted three different radio jazz shows. He continued to host a programme on New York City station Wbls until just weeks before his death.
Jackson was also the first black person to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
New York mayor Michael Bloomberg paid tribute to Jackson: "Hal was not only the first African-American voice on network radio or the first African-American play-by-play sports announcer, but an iconic legend who - during the Civil Rights movement - gave voice to the many who simply did not have one."