Dr. Ida Louise Jackson

The Life Journey of the Late Dr. Ida Louise Jackson

Dr. Ida Louise Jackson was the only daughter of seven older brothers born to Pompey and Nillie Jackson. Growing up in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Ida attended school at a young age. At the early age of three, Ida had learned to read and was allowed to go to school with her brothers. When her teacher discovered that Ida could read, the teacher assigned her to help some of the other children learn to read. By the age of eight, Ida was enrolled in Cherry Hill High School in Vicksburg, where she graduated at eleven years old.

The following year, she entered Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, a Methodist church-supported college. In 1916, she transferred to New Orleans University (now Dillard University), where she graduated and received her degree in May of 1917.  In the Fall of that year, she was assigned to teach classes at Peck School, a New Orleans University division.

In 1918, Nillie and Ida joined the Jackson brothers who had migrated to Oakland, California. Shortly after moving to Oakland, Ida entered the University of California at Berkeley. While attending the university, she organized a group of African-American women students on campus. In 1921, this group became chartered as Rho Chapter, an undergraduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

In 1922, Ida earned the Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Education, Vocational Guidance, and Counseling. She then applied for a teaching position in Oakland Public Schools, only to be told that she needed “more education.” Determined to satisfy that requirement, the following year, she earned the Master of Arts Degree from the University of California, Berkeley, even though it was rare for an African-American woman to earn two degrees from the university in the 1920s.

Ida returned to Oakland Public Schools to re-apply for a teaching position and was told that she needed teaching experience. Subsequently, she was offered and accepted a high school position in El Centra, California, where parents of minority children demanded a teacher of color. As a result, Dr. Jackson has gone down in history as the first African-American certified by California’s State to teach in a California public high school. The following year, she re-applied to Oakland Public Schools, and she was offered a long-term substitute position at Prescott School.

Dr. Jackson’s furthered her education by going back to the University of California, Berkeley, this time to seek the Administrative Credential to become certified by the State of California as a School Administrator. She was certified in 1936. Next, she enrolled in Doctoral degree programs at the University of California, Berkeley, and Columbia University, New York City. During this period of her life, she was asked to serve as Dean of Women at Tuskeegee Institute in Tuskeegee, Alabama.  She also became an assistant to Mary McCloud Bethune in the National Council of Negro Women.

In 1934, Dr. Jackson was elected National President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Through her leadership “The Mississippi Health Project,” was launched, and mobile clinics were developed in the United States. Dr.Jackson served for eight years, as General Director for the project. She retired in the late 1970s. During her lifetime, Dr. Jackson was bestowed many honors and awards. Just to name a few, among them are; her election to membership in the BERKELEY FELLOWS, an honorary society; Alpha Chapter of PHI BETA KAPPA, University of California, Berkeley; the AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN (AAUW), San Francisco Branch. She founded and served as Honorary President of the ALPHA NU OMEGA IDA L. JACKSON HOUSING AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION, incorporated in 1990.

Dr. Ida Louise Jackson has left a valuable legacy of inspiration and service. She has been an inspiration to all who were blessed to have known her.  Dr. Jackson’s written works include Development of Negro Children in Reference to Education (1923) and Librarians’ Role in Creating Racial Understanding (1944).