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    Celebrating Black Music Month on 'Real Talk, Real People'

    I had a great time speaking with Art "Chat Daddy" Sims on "Real Talk, Real People" WVON 1690 AM, The Talk of Chicago, for Black Music Month about some of my memorable music moments, interviewing legendary recording artists on the pages of JET and EBONY magazines as an editor for both. My former JET magazine colleague, Clarence Waldron, joined us via phone. Toi Salter and Lisa Rollins were co-hosts for the evening. Rollins recounted lovely memories about John H. Johnson and Michael Jackson, explaining their dedication toward contributing to UNCF where she is regional director for workplace initiatives. I told her that it was in fact Mr. Johnson who suggested that MJ work with the organization. To this day, scholarships are still given out in MJ's name. The EBONY Fashion Fair's Chicago performances were always sponsored by UNCF. 
    Art "Chat Daddy" Sims and Margena A. Christian are joined by (l) Toi Salter and Lisa Rollins at WVON 1690 AM, The Talk of Chicago. Salter and Rollins co-hosted with Sims on his show, "Real Talk, Real People."
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    Empire Author Discusses Book on 106.3 Chicago

    Lady Red, a radio personality on 106.3 Chicago, shows off her autographed copy of Empire: The House That John H. Johnson Built.
    Jay Alan, program director at 106.3 Chicago, was a former Johnson Publishing Company employee who cut his teeth at WJPC. He was personally mentored about the business by John H. Johnson and attributes his longevity in the radio industry to the late media titan.
    Lady Red conducted the interview on what would have been Prince Rogers Nelson's 61st birthday. Christian did a mic check by quoting a line from his song My Name Is Prince.
    Soul crooner Raheem DeVaughn was at the radio station on the same day to discuss his new CD and two sold-out performances at Chicago's City Winery.
    Raheem DeVaughn remembered Christian from when he first entered the music scene in 2002 and visited Johnson Publishing Company for a JET magazine interview. Christian was then an Associate Editor at JET, the weekly newsmagazine.
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    Former JPC Editors Reunite for Panel Discussion at DuSable About Empire: The House That John H. Johnson Built

    Former employees of Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) shared the stage on Saturday, June 8, for the first time during a historic panel discussion at the DuSable Museum of African American History where they spoke about time spent at the pioneering publishing company under the leadership of the iconic media giant John H. Johnson. Titled Empire: The House That John H. Johnson Built, the event was inspired by the biography of the same name that was written by Dr. Margena A. Christian, its organizer.

    Former EBONY/JET Showcase co-hosts Darryl Dennard (host of V103's Chicago Speaks) and Deborah Crable were in the drivers' seats as co-moderators for the lively and informative discussion. In addition to Christian, a former EBONY Senior Editor and JET Features Editor, other panelists included the following: Charles Whitaker (Former EBONY Senior Editor) Dean of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Christopher Benson (Former Vice President and Associate Counsel for JPC and EBONY Features Editor) Associate Professor in Journalism at Northwestern University and co-author with Mamie Till-Mobley of Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America, Clarence Waldron (Former JET Senior Editor known as the "Dean of Arts and Entertainment Journalists") Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and Kevin McFall (Former Interim CMO/Senior Vice President of EBONY Media Operations f.k.a. JPC and Vice President, Integrated Marketing, Digital Strategy & Licensing JPC) Chief Operating Officer for Inner-City Computer Stars Foundation. Whitaker and Benson also co-authored the textbook Magazine Writing. 

    Noting that JET magazine was a publication of firsts, Whitaker recently made his own history of firsts. He became the first academic to become a board member of the American Society and Magazine Editors in its 50-plus year history. A week later the former EBONY Senior Editor was appointed Dean of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Medill is one of the top journalism schools in the country. Whitaker is the first African American in its history to hold this position.
    (l-r) Darryl Dennard, Clarence Waldron, Charles Whitaker, Margena A. Christian, Deborah Crable, Chris Benson and Kevin McFall
    A special thank you to Zandra Hayes, sales manager at DuSable Museum, for making this event possible by asking me one question: "What is your vision?"
    Photos by Reginald Payton/RPM Urban Digital Media Production.
    Images are the property of DocM.A.C. Writing Consulting. All rights reserved.

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    Empire Author Talks About Book, Upcoming JPC Panel Discussion on iHeart Radio

    Bionce Foxx, a radio personality on V103 and iHeart Radio in Chicago, interviewed Dr. Margena A. Christian and Darryl Dennard, host of the radio show Chicago Speaks, about their time working with pioneering publisher John H. Johnson at the empire known as Johnson Publishing Company (JPC). Dennard is a former co-host of the EBONY/JET Showcase, a talk show centering around guests who graced the cover and pages of both magazines,  that was produced at JPC. He worked on the show from 1987-1991.
    Bionce Foxx, Chicago radio personality of V103 and iHeart Radio
    Darryl Dennard, Chicago Speaks radio personality and a former co-host of the EBONY/JET Showcase
    Dennard interviewed plenty of music royalty, including King of Pop Michael Jackson, on the EBONY/JET Showcase.
    Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, who graced the covers of EBONY and JET countless times, also appeared on the EBONY/JET Showcase.