| Graduation Year | Class of 1914 |
| Date of Passing | (unknown) |
| About | Judge Jackson was the first African American sworn in as judge in the State of Ohio, in 1942. He served Cleveland and Cuyahoga County for 44 years before his death in March of 1986. Born January 27, 1896 in Zanesville, he was the son of Brooks and Mary Hogan Perry. After graduating from Zanesville High School in 1914, Judge Jackson worked his way through Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University) and eventually graduated magna cum laude. He began practicing law in the Cleveland area while also working as an editor for of the city’s black newspapers, the Cleveland Call. Judge Jackson was elected to the Ohio Legislature in 1928, again as a ground-breaker – he was the first African American to win a county-wide election in Cuyahoga County – and he also served on Cleveland City Council. He was later appointed assistant police prosecutor and chief prosecutor for the City of Cleveland before being sworn in as judge. Among his many accomplishments was the adoption of permanent voter registration forms eliminating reference to color or race, and fathering legislation pinning down the function of notaries public. Judge Jackson was very active in his community, serving in many organizations across Northeast Ohio, including the NAACP, the Cleveland Area Church Federation, Goodwill Industries and the Boy Scouts of America. A scholarship in his name continues to assist Zanesville High School graduates with their college expenses. |
