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| Mayor Maynard Jackson | |
|---|---|
| Name | Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. |
| Birth date | March 23, 1938 |
| Birth place | Dallas, Texas |
| Death date | June 23, 2003 |
| Death place | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Occupation | Politician, Attorney |
| Known for | First elected African American mayor of Atlanta; urban development, affirmative contracting |
| Party | Democratic Party |
Mayor Maynard Jackson
Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. was an American politician and attorney who served as the first elected African American mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, and one of the first Black mayors of a major United States city. His tenures reshaped Atlanta, Georgia through public works, airport expansion, and affirmative contracting programs that influenced municipal practices across the United States. Jackson's career intersected with figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Andrew Young, Julian Bond, and institutions like the Democratic Party, the NAACP, and Morehouse College.
Jackson was born in Dallas, Texas to Maynard Holbrook Jackson Sr. and Irene Jackson; his family moved to Atlanta, Georgia where his father became active in community organizations and the NAACP. Jackson attended L.B. [Lester B.] Lane High School and later enrolled at Morehouse College, a historically Black institution in Atlanta associated with alumni including Martin Luther King Jr. and Julian Bond. He transferred to Emerson College and completed studies at Northwestern University before earning a law degree from the Northwestern University School of Law, linking him to legal networks such as the American Bar Association and the National Bar Association.
After admission to the Georgia State Bar, Jackson practiced law and worked with civil rights attorneys in Atlanta alongside figures connected to the Civil Rights Movement, including associates of John Lewis and Ralph David Abernathy. He served as a deputy mayor under Ivan Allen Jr.'s municipal administration and later as an Atlanta city commissioner, where he developed relationships with the Democratic National Committee, labor unions like the AFL–CIO, and business leaders from Coca-Cola and Delta Air Lines. Jackson's legal background connected him to federal agencies such as the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission through litigation and contracting policy work.
Jackson first ran for mayor in 1973 in a field that featured incumbents and establishment figures tied to the Atlanta Business League and members of the Atlanta City Council, campaigning on platforms influenced by civil rights leaders including Andrew Young and Maynard Holbrook Jackson Sr. His coalition included labor unions, church organizations affiliated with Morehouse College and Spelman College, and progressive elements of the Democratic Party. The 1973 campaign culminated in a runoff against former mayoral allies and established Atlanta businessmen; Jackson's victory made national headlines alongside discussions in outlets tied to the broader Civil Rights Movement and urban reform movements. He later ran successful mayoral campaigns in 1977 and 1989, defeating challengers supported by corporate allies and conservative factions allied with the Reagan administration era politics.
During his first administration, Jackson prioritized expanding Hartsfield Airport and securing federal funding from agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation. He implemented affirmative contracting programs that mandated minority- and women-owned business participation, working with municipal boards and legal frameworks influenced by decisions from the United States Supreme Court and enforcement practices of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. Jackson negotiated with corporate headquarters in Atlanta including Coca-Cola, BellSouth, and Southern Company to increase minority procurement and employment. His administration also oversaw urban redevelopment projects in neighborhoods adjacent to Ponce City Market and the Atlanta University Center consortium comprising Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College.
Returning to the mayoralty in 1990, Jackson confronted fiscal challenges tied to municipal bonds, municipal credit rated by agencies like Moody's Investors Service, and infrastructure demands related to airport expansion and preparations that would later support Atlanta's hosting of the 1996 Summer Olympics. He focused on strengthening minority contracting programs, reforming Atlanta Police Department relations with communities influenced by national debates involving the Department of Justice and civil rights organizations such as the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Jackson also addressed transit initiatives involving the MARTA and negotiated partnerships with metropolitan counties and corporations including Lockheed Martin and Siemens on public works projects.
Jackson's legacy includes institutionalizing minority- and women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) programs that were emulated by municipal governments in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. His insistence on inclusion in public contracting reshaped procurement practices connected to the Federal Highway Administration and large infrastructure projects, and influenced later mayors such as Shirley Franklin and Kasim Reed. Jackson's tenure intersected with cultural institutions like the High Museum of Art, Atlanta History Center, and the Carter Center through civic partnerships. He is remembered alongside civil rights figures including Martin Luther King Jr., Andrew Young, and John Lewis for advancing Black political power in metropolitan governance and altering the business landscape of Atlanta into a model of Black mayoral leadership.
After leaving office, Jackson served on corporate boards and nonprofit boards tied to institutions such as The Carter Center, Emory University, and Morehouse College, and remained active in Democratic Party politics through associations with the Democratic National Committee and national fundraisers featuring leaders like Bill Clinton and Al Gore. He died of complications following cardiac arrest on June 23, 2003, in Atlanta, Georgia, and was commemorated by municipal leaders, civil rights organizations, and corporations headquartered in Atlanta. Posthumous honors included dedications at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and recognition from civic groups such as the National Urban League.
Category:Mayors of Atlanta Category:1938 births Category:2003 deaths