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Bowen Keiffer Jackson interview

Description

Bowen Keiffer Jackson (1923–1995) was a civil rights activist and the executive secretary of the Baltimore Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The only son of Lillie May Carroll Jackson, he served in the United States Army from 1943 to 1946, after which he had careers in business administration, real estate, and property management. In this oral history interview, Jackson recounts his experiences growing up as a Black child and young man in Baltimore, as well as his time in the U.S. Army. He describes his mother's significance within the community and the civil rights movement, detailing her contributions to the NAACP, her church, and her family, and how she drew strength from her faith in God. Jackson also reflects on his father, Keiffer Jackson, and his unwavering support for his mother's endeavors. Additionally, Jackson discusses his mother's relationship with Governor Theodore R. McKeldin and their collaborative efforts, her perspective on Black militancy within the movement, and her optimism for future race relations.

Date

1977-08-15

Contributor(s)

Contributor(s) Notes

Narrator: Bowen Keiffer Jackson
Interviewer: Richard Richardson

Production Note

The McKeldin-Jackson Project was an effort to examine the Maryland civil rights movement of the mid-20th century through the medium of oral history by focusing on the roles played by pioneering freedom fighter Lillie May Carroll Jackson and Theodore R. McKeldin, who was Mayor of Baltimore (1943-1947, 1963-1967), Governor of Maryland (1951-1959), and an advocate for civil rights. The project was sponsored by the Maryland Historical Society and was supported in part by a grant from the Maryland Committee for the Humanities and Public Policy.

Language(s)

Object ID

OH 8211

Extent

Audio: 60 minutes
Transcript: 15 pages

Catalog Number

OH 8211

Resource ID

10583

Notes

Please note that the Library of Congress authorized heading for Bowen Kieffer Jackson is misspelled as "Keiffer"

Digital Publisher

Digital resource provided by the Maryland Center for History and Culture

Rights

This digital material is made available here for private study, scholarship, and research. Commercial and other uses are prohibited without the permission of the Maryland Center for History and Culture. For more information, visit the MCHC’s Reproductions and Permissions web page.