Micah Materre is an Emmy award-winning American broadcast journalist who serves as the lead evening news anchor at WGN-TV in Chicago. She is widely recognised for hosting WGN Evening News, WGN News at Nine, and WGN News at Ten. Beyond her anchor desk, she is known as the wife of WGN videographer Kelvin Jackson and the mother of two. She has spent more than three decades shaping local news in the Windy City.
Micah Materre Biography
| Field | Details |
| Full name | Micah Materre |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | November 9, 1962 |
| Age | 63 years old (as of May 2026) |
| Place of birth | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Current residence | Chicago, Illinois |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Height | Approximately 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Weight | Around 121–132 lbs (55–60 kg) |
| Hair colour | Dark brown |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Kelvin Jackson |
| Children | Two – Louis and McKenzie Jackson |
| Alma mater | Drake University; Northwestern University (graduate coursework) |
| Profession | Broadcast journalist, news anchor, host |
| Net worth | Estimated $1 million – $5 million |
Who is Micah Materre?
Micah Materre is a Chicago-born television journalist who anchors the WGN Evening News, WGN News at Nine, and WGN News at Ten. She joined WGN-TV in January 1998 as a morning co-anchor and medical reporter before climbing to her current evening role.
She also hosts the public affairs programme People to People and produces the bi-weekly Chicago’s Very Own segment.
Her journey began in radio at WBEZ Chicago in 1983, followed by reporter stints in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Detroit, Michigan. She has been featured in New York Times Magazine, Glamour, Ebony, Good Housekeeping, and Today’s Chicago Woman.
How old is Micah Materre? Age and birthday
Micah is 63 years old as of May 2026. She was born on November 9, 1962, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio, and she celebrates her birthday every November 9.
Micah Materre’s height, weight, and body measurements
The veteran anchor stands approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall (around 1.70 m) and weighs roughly 55–60 kg (about 121–132 lbs). Her body figure is described as average and well-maintained for her age.
She has dark brown hair and brown eyes that suit her on-camera presence. Exact bra size, dress size, and shoe size remain undisclosed in publicly verified sources.
Micah Materre’s education
Micah attended Drake University, a private institution based in Des Moines, Iowa. She graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and communications, with a concentration in Radio/TV.
She later took a graduate journalism class at Northwestern University, which helped her secure an internship at WBBM Channel 2 in Chicago. She was also recognised as an honorary diversity trailblazer by Barnes and Thornburg LLP.
Career
Early radio days
Micah broke into broadcasting in 1983 at NPR-affiliate WBEZ radio in Chicago. She worked there for around four years as a producer and reporter. During that period, she also taught radio production at Columbia College Chicago.
Local TV stations
After Northwestern coursework, Micah sent demo tapes to dozens of stations and landed her first on-camera reporter job at KCRG in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
She then spent eight years at WJBK-TV (Fox 2) in Detroit, working as a main anchor and general assignment reporter. Her Detroit work earned her an Emmy and recognition from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.
WGN-TV Chicago
She joined WGN-TV in January 1998 as a morning news co-anchor and medical reporter. She co-anchored WGN Midday News from January 2003 until October 2009, when she moved to evening duties.
She has covered marquee events, including the historic inauguration of Barack Obama, the country’s first Black president.
Awards
She picked up a Chicago/Midwest Emmy in 2014 and additional Emmy nominations in 2020 for outstanding public affairs programming. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Links, Incorporated.
What is Micah Materre’s net worth and salary?
As of 2026, Micah Materre’s net worth is estimated to be between $1 million and $5 million, although some outlets place the figure on the lower end at around $500,000 to $1 million. The variance reflects differing valuations across celebrity-net-worth trackers.
Salary breakdown
Her annual salary at WGN-TV is reported to range from $40,000 to $110,500 per year, with mid-range estimates near $68,000 to $98,000. News anchors in major US markets like Chicago typically command higher pay due to ratings impact and tenure.
Income sources
Her wealth comes primarily from her three-decade broadcast career, hosting fees from public affairs programming, and paid emcee work for civic and charitable events across Chicagoland.
Is Micah Materre married? Husband, children, and dating history
Micah is married to Kelvin Jackson, a videographer and editor who works at WGN-TV. The couple exchanged vows in June 1995 in a private ceremony. They met through their work in Chicago television, with Kelvin holding a Bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University.
Children
The couple has two children, son Louis Jackson and daughter McKenzie Jackson. Both were teenagers around 2014, which places them in their twenties as of 2026. Micah has often said she waited until her career was settled in Chicago before starting her family.
Family background
Micah is a daughter of the late Louis Materre, a longtime South Side businessman nicknamed “Big Louie,” who died in 2018, and Vera Jeanne Materre, a former jazz singer and teacher who died on January 1, 2026, at age 95. She has a brother, Daryl, and a sister, and she grew up in the South Shore neighbourhood of Chicago.
Fast facts about Micah Materre
- She has worked in broadcasting for more than 40 years, starting in radio at age 21.
- Her first television reporter job was in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
- She covered President Barack Obama’s first inauguration in Washington, DC.
- She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
- She serves on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Children’s Choir.
- She also sits on the Advisory Board of Tutoring Chicago.
- Her father, Louis Materre, was a beloved South Side businessman known as “Big Louie.”
- Her mother, Vera Jeanne Materre, was a former jazz singer who passed away on New Year’s Day 2026.
- She received an honorary diversity trailblazer recognition from Barnes and Thornburg LLP.
- She and her husband, Kelvin Jackson, both worked together at WGN-TV.
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Wrapping up
Micah Materre stands among Chicago’s most loved broadcast voices, anchoring WGN’s evening newscasts with warmth and credibility.
From her humble radio beginnings at WBEZ to becoming a primary anchor in one of America’s top three media markets, she has built a career rooted in perseverance, faith, and family.
With her husband Kelvin Jackson by her side and her two children grown, she continues to deliver Chicago’s stories nightly while honouring her late parents’ legacy.
References
- WGN-TV. “Micah Materre | Chicago”.
- Mater Mea. “How I Did It: WGN News Anchor Micah Materre”.
- Chicago Sun-Times. “Vera Jeanne Materre, former jazz singer, teacher and mother of WGN anchorwoman, dies at 95”.
- Chicago Sun-Times. “Louis Materre, longtime South Side businessman, father of WGN anchorwoman”.
- NATAS Chicago/Midwest. “2020 Emmy Nominees & Winners”.
- Unity Funeral Parlors. “Vera Jeanne Materre obituary”.
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