Maynard Jackson Mayoral Administrative Records

Maynard Jackson Mayoral Administrative Records

An exhibit highlighting Maynard H. Jackson’s life and legacy including his work in civic engagement such as being the first African American mayor of Atlanta.

Maynard Jackson Mayoral Administrative Records

Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library

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English

Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr. (1938-2003) was an outspoken lawyer and both the youngest person and first African-American ever elected mayor of a major southern city, becoming the mayor of Atlanta, Georgia in 1973. Jackson served eight years and then returned for a third term in 1990, following Andrew Young. Among his first endeavors as mayor was the restructuring of the city charter. Jackson believed that racial unity was imperative for Atlanta's growth as a major city, and he worked tirelessly to provide equitable opportunities for all of his constituents. Because of this stance, Jackson faced great adversity throughout his first term, as he insisted that all new business pursuits funded by the city government actively seek to hire minorities.

A native of Atlanta, Jackson, whose father, Maynard Sr. was pastor of the historic Friendship Baptist Church and mother–Irene Dobbs Jackson, a former Spelman professor of French and daughter of John Wesley Dobbs, a leading local political activist and founder of the Georgia Voters league, Jackson was destined to follow the exceptional talents of his families’ legacy of serving the Atlanta community.

Jackson enrolled at Morehouse College through a special early-entry program at the age of fourteen. He graduated at the age of eighteen with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History in 1956. He earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1964 from North Carolina Central University, and at the age of 30 entered the political arena in 1968; the following year he was elected Atlanta's first African-American Vice-Mayor and was sworn into office on January 5, 1970.

Materials on display are from the Maynard Jackson Mayoral Administrative Records, and include items related to his life and work as a Mayor of Atlanta. Some of the most notable topics within the collection include documentation regarding Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered Children, the bid for the 1996 Olympic Games, development of MARTA, and the expansion of Hartsfield [Jackson] International Airport. The exhibit includes correspondence, photographs, and campaign materials highlighting his accomplishments.

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Items on display are from the AUC Woodruff Library’s Archives Research Center (ARC) and may be viewed in the ARC Reading Room located on the library’s upper level. Visit www.auctr.edu for more information on collections, or to schedule an appointment in the Archives.