Kenneth A. Jackson
Encyclopedia
Kenneth A. Jackson is a businessman in Baltimore
, Maryland
, with past connections to the illegal drug trade
in that city. He is one of the Baltimore underworld figures whose stories are dramatized in the HBO series The Wire
, but his actual influence upon the show is disputed. The connections among drug trafficking, legitimate businesses, and political donations depicted in The Wire reflect aspects of Jackson’s life.
in 1977 on a charge of manslaughter, and his sentence was suspended.
Jackson’s name appeared in the Baltimore Sun’s 1987 series Easy Money: Anatomy of a Drug Empire, the author of which was David Simon
, who went on to be the creator, executive producer, and head writer of The Wire. In the newspaper series, Simon claims that Jackson used to be one of the trusted surrogates of Melvin Williams
, a legendary Baltimore heroin dealer whose story influenced The Wire character Avon Barksdale
. Jackson explicitly denies any past connection to Williams.
Jackson was acquitted of murder charges in 1991; but in the mid-1980s, he was convicted on a federal gun charge. In 1992, Jackson pled a bribery charge down to one count of giving false information to a state trooper. Federal tax-evasion charges were dropped in 1994.
In 1978, Jackson’s mother, Rosalie, acquired the Eldorado Lounge from Michael Stewart. Rosalie hired Kenny to manage the club; and in 1986, Kenny advanced the Eldorado Lounge’s format. The Eldorado Lounge property was sold in 2000 but re-emerged in 2003 at a different location on East Lombard Street
, outside downtown. Kenny Jackson continues to run the Eldorado Lounge there.
In 2007, Jackson earned a business degree from American InterContinental University
in Atlanta, Georgia
.
(“PAC”) that advocated for convicts’ voting rights. The PAC donated a total of $8,000 to the campaigns of various Democratic political candidates, including then-mayor Kurt Schmoke
and future mayor Sheila Dixon
. Jackson’s PAC no longer operates.
After the Eldorado Lounge property was sold, Jackson contributed $2,500 to then-City Council President Dixon. Dixon was criticized for her role in the sale of the property after a story regarding the sale appeared in the Baltimore Sun in 2000. Then-Mayor Martin O’Malley returned $2,000 which he had received from Rosalie. Rosalie also donated $1,000 to Al Gore
’s 2000 presidential primary campaign.
. Nerese Campbell, the fictional City Council President is then shown angrily reading a critical newspaper article about her role in the sale. The anecdote appears to allude to Sheila Dixon’s part in the sale of the Eldorado Lounge.
Another similarity to Jackson’s life is the entrepreneurial impulse of Stringer Bell
, Barksdale's number-two man. In Season 3 of The Wire, detective Jimmy McNulty
tracks Bell to his business course at a local community college. According to Jackson, Baltimore police actually were present while he took classes at Baltimore Community College. On the show, Bell strives to become a legitimate businessman and even gets involved in making payments to politicians. Jackson might have had some success where Bell tragically failed.
Jackson has collaborated with Nathan Barksdale
on an unreleased docudrama titled Baltimore Chronicles: Legends of the Unwired, which purports to be the true story of Avon Barksdale and The Wire.
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, with past connections to the illegal drug trade
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
in that city. He is one of the Baltimore underworld figures whose stories are dramatized in the HBO series The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
, but his actual influence upon the show is disputed. The connections among drug trafficking, legitimate businesses, and political donations depicted in The Wire reflect aspects of Jackson’s life.
Early life
Jackson was born in 1957 and raised in the Latrobe Homes in East Baltimore. By the time he was seventeen, Jackson had already been acquitted of murder charges.Criminal career
Jackson has been convicted of several crimes and charged with many more. He was convicted in 1978 for manslaughter, in 1979 for resisting arrest, and in 1984 on a drug charge. Jackson took an Alford pleaAlford plea
An Alford plea in United States law is a guilty plea in criminal court, where the defendant does not admit the act and asserts innocence...
in 1977 on a charge of manslaughter, and his sentence was suspended.
Jackson’s name appeared in the Baltimore Sun’s 1987 series Easy Money: Anatomy of a Drug Empire, the author of which was David Simon
David Simon
David Simon is an American author, journalist, and a writer/producer of television series. He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years. He wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and co-wrote The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood with Ed Burns...
, who went on to be the creator, executive producer, and head writer of The Wire. In the newspaper series, Simon claims that Jackson used to be one of the trusted surrogates of Melvin Williams
Melvin Williams (actor)
Melvin D. Williams , known as Little Melvin, is a former drug trafficker and organized crime figure in his native Baltimore, Maryland. Williams is widely known for his involvement in heroin trafficking in Baltimore in the 1970s and 1980s...
, a legendary Baltimore heroin dealer whose story influenced The Wire character Avon Barksdale
Avon Barksdale
Avon Randolph Barksdale is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire portrayed by actor Wood Harris. Avon is the dominant drug dealer of Baltimore's West Side, running the Barksdale Organization...
. Jackson explicitly denies any past connection to Williams.
Jackson was acquitted of murder charges in 1991; but in the mid-1980s, he was convicted on a federal gun charge. In 1992, Jackson pled a bribery charge down to one count of giving false information to a state trooper. Federal tax-evasion charges were dropped in 1994.
Business career
By 1984, Jackson owned a mini-market, a shoe store, a produce and carry-out stand, rental properties in West Baltimore, and ran his family’s business. But his most successful business venture has been the Eldorado Lounge, an adult entertainment club in East Baltimore.In 1978, Jackson’s mother, Rosalie, acquired the Eldorado Lounge from Michael Stewart. Rosalie hired Kenny to manage the club; and in 1986, Kenny advanced the Eldorado Lounge’s format. The Eldorado Lounge property was sold in 2000 but re-emerged in 2003 at a different location on East Lombard Street
Lombard Street
There are several famous Lombard Streets:* Lombard Street , famed for its twists and turns* Lombard Street, London, leading from the Bank of England to Gracechurch Street...
, outside downtown. Kenny Jackson continues to run the Eldorado Lounge there.
In 2007, Jackson earned a business degree from American InterContinental University
American InterContinental University
American InterContinental University, commonly called AIU, is an international for-profit university with open admissions owned by Career Education Corporation ....
in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Political Activities
In 1995, Jackson was involved in establishing a political action committeePolitical action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
(“PAC”) that advocated for convicts’ voting rights. The PAC donated a total of $8,000 to the campaigns of various Democratic political candidates, including then-mayor Kurt Schmoke
Kurt Schmoke
Kurt Lidell Schmoke is the Dean of the Howard University School of Law and a former mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. The son of Murray and Irene B. Reid , he attended the public schools of Baltimore...
and future mayor Sheila Dixon
Sheila Dixon
Sheila Ann Dixon served as the forty-eighth Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. When former Mayor Martin O'Malley was sworn in as Governor on January 17, 2007, Dixon, a Democrat, became mayor and served out the remaining year of O'Malley's term. In November 2007, she was elected mayor...
. Jackson’s PAC no longer operates.
After the Eldorado Lounge property was sold, Jackson contributed $2,500 to then-City Council President Dixon. Dixon was criticized for her role in the sale of the property after a story regarding the sale appeared in the Baltimore Sun in 2000. Then-Mayor Martin O’Malley returned $2,000 which he had received from Rosalie. Rosalie also donated $1,000 to Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
’s 2000 presidential primary campaign.
Possible Connections to The Wire
In Season 5 of The Wire, the show’s fictional Sun reports on the sale of a strip-club property owned by a drug dealer, Ricardo Hendrix ("Fat Face Rick"), member of the New Day Co-OpNew Day Co-Op
The New Day Co-Op is a fictional criminal organization on the HBO drama television series The Wire. The New Day Co-Op, commonly referred to as the Co-Op, is a democratic alliance of drug dealers formed in the interests of promoting business and reducing violence. There are at least a dozen members...
. Nerese Campbell, the fictional City Council President is then shown angrily reading a critical newspaper article about her role in the sale. The anecdote appears to allude to Sheila Dixon’s part in the sale of the Eldorado Lounge.
Another similarity to Jackson’s life is the entrepreneurial impulse of Stringer Bell
Stringer Bell
Russell "Stringer" Bell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by English actor Idris Elba. Bell served as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale's second in command, assuming direct control of the Barksdale Organization during Avon's imprisonment...
, Barksdale's number-two man. In Season 3 of The Wire, detective Jimmy McNulty
Jimmy McNulty
Detective James "Jimmy" McNulty is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by British actor Dominic West. McNulty is an Irish American detective in the Baltimore Police Department...
tracks Bell to his business course at a local community college. According to Jackson, Baltimore police actually were present while he took classes at Baltimore Community College. On the show, Bell strives to become a legitimate businessman and even gets involved in making payments to politicians. Jackson might have had some success where Bell tragically failed.
Jackson has collaborated with Nathan Barksdale
Nathan Barksdale
Nathan Barksdale , is a former drug dealer in Baltimore, Maryland. He is a Baltimore drug dealer dramatized in the HBO series The Wire, but the extent to which any of the show’s characters or plot lines are based on his life is disputed...
on an unreleased docudrama titled Baltimore Chronicles: Legends of the Unwired, which purports to be the true story of Avon Barksdale and The Wire.
External links
- http://www.eldoradoloungebaltimore.net/