HONORING THE MEMORY OF MAYNARD HOLBROOK JACKSON, JR.
THE HONORABLE JIM MARSHALL, OF GEORGIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 26, 2003

Mr. Speaker, I was elected mayor of Macon in 1995. Macon is a town of a little over 100,000 people just 80 miles or so south of Atlanta. One of the first things I did after my election was to visit with Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr.

Maynard Jackson was elected mayor of Atlanta in 1973 at the age of thirty-five, the first African-American mayor of a major city in Georgia as well as the southeast. He served two four-year terms and became known for promoting majority-minority partnerships to improve access for African-Americans to the world of contracting and supplying governments.

Maynard Jackson was elected again as mayor of Atlanta in 1989 and served one more term. When I went to see him as a newly elected mayor, it was to get his advice, any advice he would care to offer. I had no particular agenda, just a hope that he would impart some wisdom, given his experience in both government and business.

Maynard Jackson spent hours of his time with me that day. Of course I cannot recall all that we spoke of, but I found his advice very valuable. I will always remember how cordial and engaged he was – someone who really didn’t need to give me the time of day instead gave me several hours.
Maynard and I became friends who saw one another infrequently but who always responded quickly to one another’s calls, e-mails or letters. The last time I spent any significant amount of time with him was just this February in Macon at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame for the opening of an exhibit honoring black classical musicians from Georgia. Maynard’s aunt, Ms. Mattiwilda Dobbs, was the guest of honor for the occasion but Maynard was the star who could have easily stolen the show. Instead he remained out of the limelight, allowing his aunt to fully enjoy the attention she deserved as a world-famous artist, the first African-American soprano to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

When I heard of Maynard’s passing this Monday morning, I recalled that evening I spent with him in February at the Music Hall of Fame and I remembered one touching incident. We all were examining the memorabilia gathered for this exhibit honoring classical African-American artists of Georgia. The walls for this section of the museum were covered with photographs. Maynard grabbed my arm and pulled me toward one. It was a picture of the Morehouse College Glee Club that appeared quite old and, with great pleasure, Maynard pointed to one of the young men in the picture. It was his father, a father who had passed away when Maynard was quite young.

Now Maynard himself has passed away too young, leaving us in his prime but leaving a legacy of remarkable accomplishments for Atlanta and all of Georgia.