Wayne Jackson Collection
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of letters, photographs, and documents collected by Wayne Jackson and dating from 1954 to 1973. Jackson was a broadcaster for Southeast North Carolina NBC television affiliate WECT (formerly WMFD).
The bulk of the collection relates to three historical events. First, the collection includes information on the telecast of the first Southeastern North Carolina Junior Basketball Tournament held at Brogden Hall, the gymnasium at New Hanover High School in Wilmington, which highlight the background of and preparation for WECT’s first telecast of a Wilmington College men’s basketball team game. Secondly, the collection documents a celebratory dinner for the Wilmington College baseball team after it won the Junior College Baseball National Championship in 1965. Finally, it documents the first commencement exercises of Wilmington College as a senior college in 1965.
Other articles in the collection include a rate card, television programs log, correspondence, and copies of photographs about WECT television. The photographs in particular provide visual context for the people, activities, and events associated with local television broadcasting.
Dates
- 1954-1965
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research use.
Copyright Statement
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Biographical / Historical
Wayne Jackson started his television career in Wilmington in 1954 as the host of a 90-minute talk show called Relax with Jax on WMFD (later changed to WECT in 1958). Jackson took on many roles during his 30 years with the station, from reporting on the news, weather, and sports, to hosting talk shows, to managing behind-the-scenes activities such as programming, public relations, and general administration.
Jackson however made his mark as a pioneer sports broadcaster. He highlighted Wilmington College and local high school athletics as well as Little League baseball in surrounding counties. During his years at WECT he also interviewed sports icons such as Jackie Robinson, Joe DiMaggio, and Joe Lewis, as well as celebrities such Michael J. Fox and Oprah Winfrey, among others.
Upon retiring from WECT, Jackson worked as a game analyst for the UNCW affiliated Seahawks Sports Network, broadcasting games on the radio and over the internet for about 14 years.
Extent
.2 Linear Feet (Contains 1 document box)
Language
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into the following series: Wilmington College Athletics, 1961; Wilmington College Commencement Ceremony, 1965; WECT History, 1954-1973.
Acquisition Information
This collection was donated by Wayne Jackson in November 1990.
Processing Information
This collection was reprocessed by Lencia Beltran in Fall 2021.
- Baseball -- North Carolina -- Wilmington -- History
- Basketball -- Tournaments -- United States
- Commencement ceremonies
- Jackson, Wayne Robert
- Randall, William M. (William Madison), 1899-1984
- Television stations -- North Carolina -- Wilmington -- History
- University of North Carolina, Wilmington -- History -- Sources
- Wilmington College -- History -- Sources
- Title
- Wayne Jackson Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Special Collections Staff
- Date
- 2021 August 18
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Randall Library Special Collections Repository