Chicago toasts to Don Jackson and Central City Productions, Inc.

 

Founder, Chairman and CEO Don Jackson

Don Jackson and Central City Productions celebrates 40 years with star studded gala

 

By: Eleanor L. Smith

Cherish the Soul Entertainment

For four decades, Central City Productions, Inc. has been the epitome media entity in showcasing positive African American television programming within arts, business and education to name a few. Recently, this milestone achievement of Mr. Don Jackson, Central City’s Founder, Chairman and CEO, was celebrated with a gala event at the DuSable Museum of African American History here in the Windy City.

Commencing with red carpet arrivals and a sumptuous reception, the affair featured a bevy of guests and prestigious movers and shakers who were pillars of the community, political, media and business worlds. “It feels wonderful to be here. This to me is one of the most important days in television. And in order to understand where we’re going, we must understand where we’ve been,” said ABC 7 sports anchor Mr. Jim Rose, who along with his colleague ABC 7 news anchor Ms. Cheryl Burton and WGN 9 anchor Mr. Bob Jordan  hosted the event.  “Central City Productions has been the number one production company in America to profile and to program the history of African Americans not only in Chicago, but in the United States of America.  And so I salute Don Jackson, because it was his vision many, many years ago and for them to reach their 40^th year in existence and still be going strong is phenomenal,” said Rose, who went on to elaborate how pertinent historically it is for us as African Americans to reach the highest plateau in mass media with the notion of telling stories how we want to and not at the dictation of others.

Interviewing ABC 7 Sports Anchor Mr. Jim Rose

“You have to realize that information is the key to success in America and without it, we can’t go anywhere. Up until 1969, on the legislative books in the state of Mississippi, it was against the law to learn how to read and write and you could go to jail if you were teaching someone of color how to read and write and that goes to show you how important it is and for me to have the opportunity to disseminate that information the way I would like to…I remember a good friend of mine, Muhammad Ali,  said that he was going to be the heavyweight champion the way he wants to be, not the way  they wanted him to be, and that set the tone for us as African Americans and you see the fruits of that labor in Central City Productions,” said Rose. Gospel legend Vickie Winans and Grammy award winning songwriter and producer Darius Brooks each contributed their musical genius in tribute to Mr. Jackson, which was followed by a nostalgic video collage of each decade giving the audience viewing delight of the most pivotal moments of the company’s work.

Posing with ABC 7 Anchor Jim Rose after our interview

Established in 1970 as Central City Marketing, Inc.,  Central City Productions is the most well known and prominent television production company that’s responsible for gems such as the Stellar Gospel Music Awards, the Trumpet Awards, the Bud Billiken Back-to-School Parade, Know Your Heritage and The Black Enterprise Business Report, to name a few.  Infusing family values and spirituality, CCP continues to serve as a catalyst for African American actors, musicians, as well as media giants who’ve honed their craft sharing in Jackson’s vision for highlighting positive images within the African American community nationwide. The company produces, syndicates and manages advertising sales for all of its programs and has produced over 1,000 hours of television and for Don Jackson, it’s hard to believe that it’s been 40 years already.  “40 years-wow. It doesn’t feel like it has been that long!” Jackson laughs. “I’ve always been interested in media that can affect our people and it started with the Bud Billiken parade when I was in it, and I thought to myself that this positive picture should be on television and once we put that on TV, it took off from there. It fulfilled all of my expectations and then we started to produce more shows,” said Jackson proudly.

Interviewing AARP State President and Media Giant Ms. Merri Dee

Among other guests and supporters, of course there were those in attendance who had known Jackson and have established life long friendships and professional relationships

Posing with the elegant Ms. Merri Dee

with him who came out to show their love and give  heartfelt congratulations. Ms. Merri Dee, AARP State President and a media giant in her own right, was very pleased to be a part of the party. ” It’s exciting because I was there the very first day for Don Jackson, the very first day he started and we worked together from that time up until now,” Dee gleamed.  Actor and author Gregory Allen Williams, who has a fourteen year relationship with CCP, is eternally grateful for Jackson and the open doors that he and CCP has made possible for him. Jackson is responsible for giving Williams several hosting opportunities with documentaries such as Roads to Success among others and for several years now with the ever popular show Know Your Heritage. “Being an actor by trade, ..who else is going to give you a chance to be Pat Sajak and Alex Trebek!”, Williams laughed.  “What’s interesting is that Don has afforded a lot to us, and I do mean us. He’s afforded a lot to us opportunities, not only opportunities, but he’s paid our mortgage, our kids tuition  and at the same time, he’s grown as a professional, he’s grown spiritually, he’s an example and model of leadership, management, creativity and tenacity.  And most of all, with this notion that if you work with black people, if you program FOR black people, that somehow you’re not mainstream and especially in this day when people are saying that black folks don’t need advocacy anymore because we have a black president, you look to this brotha and his example is very incredible,” said Williams with a smile.