Dr. Jesse Griffin Jackson, Sr. was born to the late James and Estella Jackson in Glassboro, NJ. When the family moved to Camden, NJ, young Jesse quickly found a church home at the Chestnut Street U.A.M. E. church. There, he was able to revel in his love of the word and able to express his love for the Lord in the choir. As he grew in the church, he became a Trustee. Later, he would return to the church annually to participate as a speaker for the Men’s’ Day Program.

The Jackson family moved into a home on Walnut Street. There, he met some of the lifelong friends that he would maintain contact with every time he visited his beloved City of Camden. Jesse attended Whittier School for his elementary education before moving on to Hatch Middle School. From there, he attended the fabled Camden High School on Park Boulevard in the Parkside section of Camden.

In school, like his friend Kenny Miller, he excelled at athletics as well as academics. Jesse was a member of the baseball team and also ran track. Not content to stay with the conventional life of a high school student, Jesse looked to help his family by getting a job. Due to him not having the age to work, he temporarily borrowed the identity of an older boy so that he could get a job working at the Campbell Soup Factory. There, he worked on the assembly line to help package some of the delicious soups that would become a world-renown brand.

After high school, Jesse joined the United States Army where he served for three years. While stationed in San Bernadino, California, he met the beautiful lady that would eventually become his wife. Her name was Mary Elmira Jennings. Their loved blossomed as he followed her from the west coast to visit her at her family home in West Virginia. The two wed and moved to Camden. There, they had three daughters and a son.

Jesse attended the then-called Glassboro State College where he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in elementary education. He got his first job teaching at Broadway Elementary School. He was initiated into the Mu Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity, Inc. in 1962. Later, he would go on to receive his Master’s Degree followed by his Doctoral Degree. Both advanced degrees were awarded by Rutgers University. He was fortunate enough to be mentored by someone whom also mentored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That gentleman’s name was Dr. Samuel Dewitt Proctor.

Following a lifelong passion for education, Dr. Jackson worked as an assistant before becoming Director of the Financial Aid Department in Rutgers. He was there for over twenty years. He was tasked with overseeing the department’s services for multiple campuses. After retirement, he was requested to join an educational consortium. Dr. Jackson was named the Executive Director of the Consortium for Pre-College in Greater Newark. From there, he helped countless numbers of prospective students find their paths toward and through higher education.

Again, he was requested to provide his educational expertise. Dr. Jackson taught at Jersey City College. He served in that capacity until health concerns forced him into full retirement. He spent time at home with his family at the Jackson home in Willingboro, NJ. From there, he continued to provide his unique insight into current affairs while always advocating for the continued education of all his family and friends.

Dr. Jackson is preceded in death by his wife, Mary. Also, his daughters Cheryl and Pamela went ahead to make a place for him in Glory. He is survived by daughters Christel Jackson-Lee (Ernest) and Charla Sinclair. Also, he is survived by his son, Jesse Griffin Jackson, Jr. Dr. Jackson leaves behind his grandchildren, Jerome Jackson (Naomi), James Wendell Gordon, and Naomi Jackson. Also, he is survived by great-grandchildren, Carter and Clara Jackson as well as his brother, Owen Bernard Jackson (Irma), sisters-in-law, Charlene Marshall, Sylvia Dawson (Roy, Jr.), and Edna Cranford along with nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Our patriarch always said “It really doesn’t matter where you start…..It’s where you end up.”