The Ida L. Jackson papers encompass certificates, pamphlets, programs, correspondence, and photographs documenting her activities as the first African American public school teacher in Oakland and as the founder of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority on the West Coast.

Ida Louise Jackson (1902-1996) was born October 12, 1902 in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Jackson's father, Reverend Pompey Jackson, was a former slave born in Alabama, and her mother, Nellie Jackson, was born in New Orleans. Jackson was the eighth and last child born to Pompey Jackson and Nellie Jackson, their only girl. Raised in a family that emphasized education, Jackson graduated from Cherry Street High School in 1914, and then attended Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi. After a short time at Rust College, Jackson moved on to New Orleans University (now Dillard University), graduating in 1917 with a normal (teaching) degree. Jackson's thesis at New Orleans University, entitled "Education as a means of permanent peace," reflects Jackson's developing commitment to progress and empowerment through education.

1 linear foot (2 boxes)

Permission to publish from the Ida L. Jackson Papers must be obtained from the African American Museum & Library at Oakland.

No access restrictions. Collection is open to the public.