Many people today do not remember how it was in United States during 1957. That was the year when Martin Luther King, Jr. headed a nationwide resistance to racial segregation and discrimination in the South and Federal Troops were sent to Arkansas in order to enforce anti-segregation laws because then Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus sent the National Guard on September 4th to Central High School in Little Rock to prevent nine African American students from attending school there. What makes the production of "The Downtown Show" so unique is that it took a lot of courage to produce an integrated television show during that time. What is even more interesting is that Jimmie Jackson was a white southerner from Jackson Mississippi and Jimmie Bryant was a white southerner from Moultrie, Georgia. Bryant was a top Capitol Records recording artist is considered the fastest guitar player of all time. Before his joining "The Downtown Show" Bryant was previously featured on Cliffie Stones' popular televised "Hometown Jamboree." At the time of the "Downtown Show" Bryant had recorded over 500 sides for Capitol Records. Today Jimmy Bryant is honored by the Fender Guitar Company with their commemorative release of the "Jimmy Bryant Telecaster" guitar. Black Jazz violinist Stuff(y) Smith was a recording star who previously performed with the likes of Coleman Hawkins as well as with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Smith was also featured at what is considered the first outdoor jazz festival, the 1938 "Carnival of Swing" on Randall's Island. Stuff was a contributor to the song "It's Wonderful" which was often performed by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald throughout their careers. Rounding out the "Downtowners" sound was black jazz percussionist George Jenkins, a recording star with two of his own albums. Jenkins was featured with such great bands as Lionel Hampton, Benny Carter, Earl Garner, Charlie Barnet and Louis Armstrong. When the Downtown Show was produced, in 1957 the cast rose above the racial prejudices of the time through the camaraderie, respect and the love of music that they all shared. In fact Jimmie Jackson (the creator of "The Downtown Show") had Spencer Williams and Alvin Childress (television's Amos n' Andy) on his former television show "Memory Lane" back in 1951. Jackson even worked as the cast's manager after CBS canceled the show in 1953 arranging for bookings to help sustain them financially; (the Amos n' Andy show ran in syndication until 1966 when the NAACP finally had the show removed for good). It wasn't until the likes of Lawrence Welk signed the talented African-Americ an dancer Author Dunkin to his show in 1964 and Norman Lear began assimilating blacks and whites in his sitcoms during the 1970s that integrated entertainment really took hold. All-in-all the "The Downtown Show" was a program way ahead of its time.
