Robert R. Jackson

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Robert R. Jackson (September 1, 1870 in Malta, Illinois - June 12, 1942) was a state legislator in Illinois as well as a baseball team founder, baseball league commissioner, and Chicago alderman.[1][2][3] Jackson was educated in the Chicago public school system until leaving school to care for family after the eighth grade.[2] Prior to his tenure in the legislature, he worked as a newspaper salesman, postal service employee, elevator operator and baseball team owner. He was a Republican

Career[edit]

Jackson's twenty-one year tenure at the Chicago Postal System included twelve years as assistant superintendent at Armour station, at the time the highest role held by a Black man in the Chicago postal system.[3] Jackson was also a veteran of the Spanish-American War when his National Guard regiment, Illinois' Eighth was activated to Cuba.[3]

In 1910, Jackson cofounded with Beauregard F. Mosely the Leland Giants, Chicago's first African-American baseball team. He also served a two-year term as Commissioner of the Negro American League.[1] When Jackson left the postal system to return to the print business, his Fraternal Press was believed to be the largest printing business owned by a Black person.[4]

Jackson was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1912; he was seated just a short time before the legislature adjourned sine die. Speaker William Michael McKinley appointed Jackson to roles on a number of committees including federal relations, military affairs, and more.[3] Jackson was re-elected in 1914 and 1916 and was a part of Illinois' first state film censorship law.[5][4] He served as an alderman in Chicago City Council for the Second and Third Wards from 1918-1939 after his time as a state legislator was term limited.[4][2]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Robert R. Jackson. Oxford University Press. 2000. OCLC 1003238948. Retrieved 2022-03-08. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b c Williams, Erma Brooks (2008). Political Empowerment of Illinois' African-American State Lawmakers from 1877 to 2005. University Press of America. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-7618-4018-3.
  3. ^ a b c d "The Broad Ax 5 August 1916 — Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections". idnc.library.illinois.edu.
  4. ^ a b c "Major Robert R. Jackson; Residence of Major and Mrs. Jackson; 3366 South Park Avenue". NYPL Digital Collections. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
  5. ^ Scott, Ellen C. (2012). "Black "Censor," White Liberties: Civil Rights and Illinois's 1917 Film Law". American Quarterly. 64 (2): 219–247. doi:10.1353/aq.2012.0019. ISSN 0003-0678. JSTOR 23273515. S2CID 143939578.
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