Editor鈥檚 note: This story was originally published by the , a news partner of 漏 2024 外网天堂.
A longtime educator, community leader and the 鈥淒ean of Politics鈥� in East St. Louis has died. He had been fighting the novel coronavirus, according to those who knew him.
. served in the for eight years after retiring from a lengthy career as a science teacher and administrator in East St. Louis School District 189. He sat on the East St. Louis City Council for 20 years and is the father of Emeka Jackson-Hicks, the city鈥檚 former mayor.
Jackson, 71, died early Friday morning.
, who earned his bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in city planning from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
After two decades as a city alderman and a term as party committee chairman, he assumed the seat in the Illinois House in January 2009 following the death of Wyvetter Younge. It鈥檚 a seat Jackson held through three more two-year terms until 2017, serving as a member of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus.
鈥淗e loved East St. Louis,鈥� said his daughter, Emeka Jackson-Hicks.
She described her father as 鈥渁 protector, provider, and the cornerstone for his family鈥檚 foundation.鈥� Jackson was quiet man who taught his family to lead by example. 鈥淗e taught us to always have a plan of action and then to get it done,鈥� Jackson-Hicks said.
Frank Smith, chairman of the East St. Louis Democratic Central Committee, said he was 鈥渟tunned ... knocked off my feet,鈥� when he learned of Jackson鈥檚 death Friday morning.
鈥淓ddie was a good, kind-hearted guy. He would give you the shirt off his back,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淗e was the dean of politics. He was a numbers man; he didn鈥檛 let nothing pass him.
鈥淗e loved East St. Louis, and whatever he could do to make it better, he did it.鈥�
Smith said Jackson stayed close to home in 2020 because of the , has killed more than 15,000 people.
鈥淗e said he didn鈥檛 want to catch anything,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭his one really hurts.鈥�
Smith, former East St. Louis mayor and township supervisor Alvin Parks Jr., and former state Sen. James Clayborne Jr. said Jackson was suffering from the effects of the virus.
鈥淚 knew he had been sick due to coronavirus but heard he was getting better,鈥� Parks said. 鈥淚 know how serious this illness is, and it鈥檚 still ravaging this community and families.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really really sad when your community loses one of its key leaders for the last 45 years.鈥�
Clayborne worked closely with Jackson during their time representing the metro-east in the Illinois legislature.
鈥淓ddie worked to try to create transformative solutions. His is a major loss,鈥� Clayborne said. 鈥淓ddie made a life-long commitment to public service as an educator and a politician. As a member of the East St. Louis City Council, he implemented policy. As state representative he helped bring additional funding to District 189 and new programs as well.
鈥淢ost people don鈥檛 know that about eight years ago, the school district was basically bankrupt. Eddie was able to convince the state to provide additional money to support and keep the district open. He generated $27 million over that period to keep the district open and functioning.
鈥淚 hope the community will remember his work and keep his legacy alive by having the same commitment to East St. Louis that he had.鈥�
Jackson, a teacher before turning to politics
Parks said citizens recognize Jackson as a politician but may have forgotten about his work as a teacher and principal in District 189.
鈥淗e brought many of our children up by way of education,鈥� Parks said. 鈥淓ddie was not always the person who was most direct with hands-on leadership, but he always worked behind the scenes helping to better the community, making connections, and helping to get things done.鈥�
Jackson-Hicks said her father was dedicated to his work and to the children of East St. Louis. He was an early riser who arrived at school before the staff, making sure it was clean and 鈥渆verything was done and ready to go. That鈥檚 called taking care of business,鈥� she said.
鈥淢y dad was a gifted educator and principal, 鈥� Jackson-Hicks said. 鈥淟ots of students looked up to him. He was one of the best principals District 189 has had. He treated those children like they were his.鈥�
Parks recalled that Jackson held a picnic for the city鈥檚 precinct committeeman at the old Monroe School located at 16th and Martin Luther King Drive. It was a simple gesture aimed at helping build the community and encourage involvement, Parks said.
鈥淟ots of time people forget the little things that make a community a community. He put on this picnic annually and helped others to organize theirs,鈥� he said.
Current East St. Louis Mayor Robert Eastern III called Jackson 鈥渁 mentor.鈥�
鈥淗e was one of my father鈥檚 best friends,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 am deeply saddened for the family and other friends of the Jacksons. Eddie is the kind of person who can鈥檛 be replaced. He鈥檚 one of those people you put on the shelf and pay homage to. His public service was exemplary. He worked tirelessly to enhance education for children in East St. Louis.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just a sad day in the .鈥�
Vicky Kimmel, who operated a construction school called , said Jackson was a mentor to many. She also said he was instrumental in the development of Parsons Place Apartments in East St. Louis.
鈥淓ddie Jackson was the kind of man who could show up and be anybody鈥檚 father or grandfather,鈥� said Kimmel, currently the deputy director of Teens Against Killing Everywhere. 鈥淗e had a great sense of humor, was gentle and kind. He would leave you feeling better than he found you every time.鈥�
Illinois politicians reflect on 鈥楽ad day鈥�
State Rep. LaToya Greenwood said Jackson will be greatly missed.
鈥淗e is one of the founders of our community. He was actively involved in education and forming our political world here in East St. Louis,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 send my deepest condolences to his family.鈥�
State Sen. Chris Belt called Jackson 鈥渁 consummate professional.鈥�
鈥淗e was a public servant, educator, principal, city council member and state representative,鈥� Belt said. 鈥淗e was an overall great guy, good fraternity brother. He was a wealth of knowledge.
鈥淭his is a sad day for his colleagues, friends and family.鈥�
Jackson is survived by his wife, Pearlie Jackson, a son Eddie Lee Jackson Jr. and his daughter, the former mayor.
Funeral arrangements will be announced by Nash Funeral Home in East St. Louis.
Carolyn Smith is a reporter with the , a news partner of 漏 2024 外网天堂.
