James A. "Billboard" Jackson (1878-1960)
Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
A prominent African American journalist, as editor at Billboard magazine, Jackson promoted black theater during the 1920s Harlem Renaissance. He later fostered African American business activities for the US Dept. of Commerce. He was born and raised here.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Born and raised in Bellefonte, James A. "Billboard" Jackson became a leading African American journalist in the early twentieth century. As an editor at Billboard magazine during the 1920s, he championed Black performers and theater in the flowering of the Harlem Renaissance. He later worked for the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he promoted African American business enterprise.
Why it matters
Jackson used the press and the federal government alike to open doors for Black artists and entrepreneurs, part of the broader struggle for African American economic and cultural standing.
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Related people
- · James A. "Billboard" Jackson
Related events
- · Harlem Renaissance
Themes & tags
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