By: Donald V. Watkins
Copyrighted and Published on November 25, 2024
An Editorial Opinion
Maynard Jackson, Jr., was Atlanta’s first Black mayor. He served in this position from 1974 to 1982 and 1990 to 1994. Jackson was Atlanta’s Vice-Mayor from 1970 to 1974.
Jackson worked as an attorney, investment banker, and food services entrepreneur when he was not holding public office.
In 1994, Jackson founded Jackson Securities, which specialized in managing government employees and teacher retirement systems and bond financing.
Based upon my personal exposure to scores of Black mayors around the nation since 1974, Maynard Jackson was the smartest, strongest, and most courageous one of them. Jackson turned Atlanta into an empowerment platform where the city’s Black residents could take care of themselves politically, financially, socially, culturally, educationally, and economically. He also made Atlanta a "destination city" for international travelers.
Of course, Jackson's brand of Black economic empowerment ruffled the feathers of hardcore guardians of Old South traditions, including the Atlanta office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. After Jackson became Atlanta’s mayor, the FBI launched a multi-year, covert law enforcement initiative named Operation Fruhmenschen (1974 to 1982) to take him down. This racially motivated operation failed in its goal.
My Meeting with Maynard Jackson
I met with Maynard Jackson after he left office in 1994. He had traveled to Birmingham to request my help in gaining access to the city of Birmingham’s bond business and money management opportunities. Richard Arrington, Jr., was Birmingham’s mayor at the time, and I served as Arrington’s special counsel.
Arrington had survived his own FBI takedown operation as a designated COINTELPRO target. He was also ostracized at the annual Good Ol’ Boys Roundup from 1980 to 1992.
When we met, Maynard Jackson started giving me his resume in the financial services industry. I cut Jackson off and told him I knew all about his outstanding professional credentials and his empowerment agenda as Atlanta's mayor. I immediately took Jackson to Mayor Arrington’s office.
Once we arrived at City Hall, I explained to Arrington that Maynard Jackson had formed Jackson Securities and told Arrington we needed to support him. I asked Arrington to pull out the list of bond deals and money management opportunities from his desk drawer. He complied.
As we sat around Arrington’s desk, I told Maynard Jackson to pick out every opportunity he wanted for Jackson Securities and pick as much as he wanted. I also told Jackson that he did not have to be bashful. Jackson went through the list and selected the financial deals he wanted to participate in.
After Jackson made his selections, I asked Mayor Arrington to (a) notify the city's Finance Director and the other companies on the list about JacksonSecurities' inclusion and (b) instruct them that they were NOT to screw Jackson Securities out of the fees his firm would earn for the services rendered. Arrington did so.
Maynard Jackson was shocked at the speed at which his participation in Birmingham's empowerment opportunities were happening. Jackson told us nobody in government had treated him with so much respect after he left the Atlanta mayor's office in 1994.
I looked at Maynard Jackson and simply said, “Thank you for all that you did to empower our people.” Arrington told Jackson to let him know if he needed or wanted anymore bond work or money management opportunities.
Saying Goodbye
On the ride back to his car, Maynard Jackson was humble and teary eyed, but very grateful. Before he got out of my car, I look Maynard Jackson in the eyes and told him he was one of my heroes and his life’s work had spoken for him. No other words were necessary. With that, we said goodbye.
One of the blessing God gave me that day was the opportunity to say “thank you” to Maynard Jackson in a proper and meaningful way.
Maynard Jackson died on June 23, 2003, at age 65. He never stopped fighting for economic empowerment for our people.
A documentary released in 2017 profiles Maynard Jackson, as I knew him.
I dedicate this documentary to a new generation of Black mayors who have social media visibility but no substantive economic empowerment agendas. After watching this documentary, I hope they will have a much better understanding of why I judge them by their performance in office and not by their PR gimmicks on social media platforms.
I, too, followed the actions and work of Mayor Jackson, and he was my hero. Thanks for giving us this article.
Sincerely!