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Jacqueline Jackson

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Jacqueline Lavinia "Jackie" Jackson (née Davis, later Brown, born March 7, 1944) is an American author and peace activist. She wrote Loving You, Thinking of You, Don't Forget to Pray, a compilation of letters she had sent to her son Jesse Jackson Jr. while the latter was incarcerated. Married to The Reverend Jesse Jackson since 1962, she has been described by The Los Angeles Times as "elusive, private and largely unknown to the public."[1]

Jacqueline Jackson
Born
Jacqueline Lavinia Davis

(1944-03-07) March 7, 1944 (age 80)
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Author; peace activist
Notable workLoving You, Thinking of You, Don't Forget to Pray
Spouse
​
(m. 1962)​
Children5, including Santita, Jesse Jr., and Jonathan

Early life

Jackson was born Jacqueline Lavinia Davis on March 7, 1944[2] in Fort Pierce, Florida, to Gertrude "Gertie" Davis Brown (March 7, 1927 - July 13, 2017), a "15-year-old unwed migrant worker who earned 15 cents an hour picking beans."[3][4] Her mother married Chief Petty Officer Julius Frances Brown Sr.[5] by the time Jackson was five, and the family relocated to Newport News, Virginia.[3] She has four half-siblings through her mother.[3] According to biographer Marshall Frady's book Jesse, Jackson's maternal grandmother was a prostitute.[6]

Jackson attended Huntington High School in West Virginia before attending North Carolina A&T State University, then a college.[7] While a student at A&T, she was a protester for civil rights.[8] In an interview with the Public Broadcasting Service, she recounted writing a persuasive paper on how China should get a seat in the United Nations.[9]

Career

 
The Jackson family visiting Gandhi's grave in India. Jackson appears in the right foreground.

Book

In 2013, Jackson's son Jesse Jr. pleaded guilty to violating federal campaign laws and was incarcerated for 30 months. While incarcerated, Jackson wrote her son a letter every day.[10] After Jesse Jr. was released, Jackson compiled the letters she had sent to him for the book Loving You, Thinking of You, Don't Forget to Pray.[11] The book was published by Skyhorse Publishing.[12] To promote the book, Jackson and Jesse Jr. appeared on CBS This Morning[13] and WGN (AM).[14] Salon wrote, "They used their media appearances to discuss criminal justice reform, the moral failures of the penal system and how best to assimilate ex-convicts, especially those who are not former members of Congress, into roles of productive citizenship."[15]

Peace activism

In 1985, Jackson led a delegation of 10 women to Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia for relief efforts during droughts across those countries.[16]

In 2001, Jackson was arrested at Camp Garcia Vieques in Vieques, Puerto Rico along with nine other activists for misdemeanor trespassing while protesting the United States Navy's bombing tests in the area. She was jailed in San Juan for 10 days and refused to post the $3000 bail.[17][18] She received the Peace & Justice Award from the Over the Rainbow Gala for her efforts during the protest.[19]

Writing for Ebony in 1984, journalist Hans Massaquoi stated Jackson was "an eloquent spokesperson for oppressed minorities, including Black women."[20] Jackson was the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from North Carolina A&T State University in May 2021 "for a lifetime of dedicated service".[21]

Politics

During her husband Jesse's run for president in 1984, she spoke at a fundraiser at Howard University, where she stated, "Any woman who cannot vote for Jesse Jackson betrays her own cause."[22] During Jesse's run, Jackson insisted the campaign not answer questions about their personal lives.[3]

During the United States presidential election of 2008, Jackson supported Hillary Clinton as the nominee over Barack Obama. Discussing politics on NPR, she stated, "...she's the best person for this country at this time. We have a failing economy at this time. The image of women is at rock bottom. I'm looking for someone to elevate not only the economy, but the image of women. Because I know that women are the nucleus of every society, and whenever a society is failing or on its way out, look at the character, look at the way women are treated, and then you will see what the future holds for our children and that country."[23]

Personal life

Jackson met Jesse her freshman year at A&T College.[9] On December 31, 1962, at 18 years old and during her sophomore year, Jackson married Jesse.[24][25] Together they have five children: Santita (1963), Jesse Jr. (1965), Jonathan Luther (1966), Yusef DuBois (1970), and Jacqueline Lavinia (1975).[26]

She was hospitalized with coronavirus in August 2021 along with her husband.[27] On August 27 it was reported that she is in the intensive care unit while her husband was transferred to a rehabilitation facility.[28] On September 4, she returned home from the hospital.[29]

Bibliography

  • Jackson, Jaqueline Loving You, Thinking of You, Don't Forget to Pray (2019) ISBN 978-1948924320

References

  1. ^ Sipchen, Bob; Abrams, Garry (May 18, 1988). "The Elusive Jackie Jackson : Articulate and Charismatic, She Balances Keeping Her Identity and Living in His Shadow". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  2. ^ Olphin, Olivia (May 2021). "Who is Rev Jesse Jackson's wife? Meet Jaqueline L. Jackson". The Focus. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Romano, Lois (January 24, 1988). "The Pride of Jackie Jackson". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  4. ^ "Mother-in-Law of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Gertrude Davis Brown Passes At 90". Chicago Defender. July 19, 2017. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  5. ^ "Gertrude Davis Brown Death Notice". Chicago Crusader. July 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  6. ^ Frady, Marshall (2006). Jesse. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781416543497. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  7. ^ Evertz, Mary (September 29, 2005). "Jesse Jackson's "most loyal critic' to visit". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  8. ^ "Jesse Jackson". Journal of Defense & Diplomacy. 6. Defense & Diplomacy, Incorporated: 53. 1988.
  9. ^ a b "Interview with Jackie Jackson". PBS. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  10. ^ Howard, Marilyn K. (October 10, 2019). "Book Review: Loving You, Thinking of You, Don't Forget to Pray: Letters to My Son in Prison by Jacqueline L. Jackson". Columbus Free Press. Archived from the original on October 28, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  11. ^ "Jesse Jackson Jr. says his mother's determination pulled him out of a dark place in prison". CBS News. February 6, 2019. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  12. ^ "Jesse Jackson Jr.'s mother is releasing of book of letters". Associated Press. September 25, 2018. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  13. ^ "Jesse Jackson Jr. says his mother's determination pulled him out of a dark place in prison". CBS. February 6, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  14. ^ Williams, John (February 18, 2019). "Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Jacqueline Jackson on publishing "Letters to My Son in Prison"". WGN AM. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  15. ^ Masciotra, David (June 13, 2021). "Jesse Jackson Jr. warned us about democracy: It's hobbling, "on one broken leg, and drunk"". Salon. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  16. ^ "Jackson Reports on Visit With Pope and Groups In Europe". Jet. 67 (20): 7. January 28, 1985.
  17. ^ "Rev. Jackson's Wife, Jacqueline, Jailed in Puerto Rico Bombing Protest". Jet. 100 (4): 6. July 9, 2001. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  18. ^ Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2015). Civil Disobedience An Encyclopedic History of Dissidence in the United States. Taylor & Francis. p. 318. ISBN 9781317474418. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  19. ^ "Rev. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Celebrates 30th Anniversary". Jet. 100 (11): 51. Aug 27, 2001. ISSN 0021-5996.
  20. ^ Massaquoi, Hans (July 1984). "I'd Make A Great First Lady". Ebony. XXXIX (9): 25.
  21. ^ Jackson, Jesse (May 8, 2021). "Jacqueline Lavinia Brown Jackson Will Become an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters For a Lifetime of Dedicated Service". Chicago Crusader. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  22. ^ Gaiter, Dorothy J. (April 18, 1984). "Jacqueline Jackson Finds Own Role". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  23. ^ "Spouses Split on High Profile Political Endorsements". NPR. January 22, 200. Archived from the original on February 18, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  24. ^ Leeman, Richard W. (2005). American Voices An Encyclopedia of Contemporary Orators. Greenwood Press. p. 192. ISBN 9780313327902.
  25. ^ Haskins, Jim; Benson, Kathleen (2008). African American religious leaders. Wiley. p. 128. ISBN 9780470231425.
  26. ^ "Voices & Viewpoints: Jesse Jackson". Archived from the original on August 20, 2003. Retrieved July 10, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  27. ^ Falconer, Rebecca (August 21, 2021). "Jesse and Jacqueline Jackson hospitalized with COVID". Axios. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  28. ^ "Rev. Jesse Jackson Moved To Rehab Facility As COVID Symptoms Subside, But Wife Jacqueline Moved To ICU". 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  29. ^ Rose, Andy. "Jacqueline Jackson, the wife of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, is home after hospitalization for Covid-19". Retrieved 18 September 2021.
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