UNI's first Black Hall of Famer holds spots in record book 60 years later
2/7/2022 4:09:00 PM | General, Men's Basketball
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In the late 1950s, James Jackson provided a spark of energy to the Panther men's basketball team as one of the program's top rebounders. 27 years after his playing career ended, he made history for the Purple and Gold as the first African-American to be inducted into the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988.
courtesy of Special Collections
and University Archives
Jackson was born in northeast Iowa in 1939, attending UNI (then known as the Iowa State Teachers College) from 1958 to 1961. A native of Waterloo and graduate of East High School, Jackson joined the ISTC basketball program as a sophomore, quickly becoming one of the team's most effective players on the court. Nicknamed "Jumpin' Jim" in the 1959-60 men's basketball media guide for his size, Jackson led the Panthers during his first collegiate season in scoring and rebounds, setting school and conference records in the process.
By the time Jackson finished his career in the early 1960s, he had earned a pair of all-conference selections and scored 891 career points, 622 coming in his first two seasons as a Panther. Most notably, Jackson finished with the second most total rebounds in school history in 1961 (1,097) and still holds the program's career record for rebounds per game to this day (16.4).
Following college, Jackson taught science at McKinstry Junior High School and coached youth and recreational programs in the Waterloo area after graduating from ISTC. He also served as a board member of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Just three years after representing the Panthers on the basketball court, Jackson earned the opportunity to represent his community, being elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1964 in the 66th district for Black Hawk County, the youngest African-American to be elected to the state's lower house at the time. Jackson served on the chamber's appropriations, education, and governmental affairs committees, where he served as the ranking member.
Following his one term in the state house, Jackson entered the business world, joining Pepsi-Cola and Co. as a regional marketing representative before being promoted to vice president and general manager of Pepsi's operations in New York. Considered a pioneer for other African-Americans in corporate business, Jackson also served in positions with ITT Corp and Citicorp before being named the senior vice president of customer service with Cigna Corp in 1977.
Jackson passed away in late 2001 surrounded by family in his home in Connecticut. While his records and statistics as one of UNI's greatest rebounding big men still stands to this day, his record of service to his community as an educator, legislator and businessman are highlighted in an exemplary life off the basketball court.
NOTE: Photos courtesy of UNI's Special Collections and University Archives.
