Uncrowned Community Builders

Myrtis Jackson was born in Talladega County Alabama, where, throughout her high school years, she was raised on a farm. She received her early education in the Alabama Public School System. An honor student, she graduated from Robert Russo-Moton High School as the valedictorian of her graduating class. Her high school experience, also, included being a musician, playing the saxophone in the school band.

After high school she attended Alabama A & M College in Huntsville, Alabama, where she majored in Elementary Education and continued her musical interest in the marching and performing bands.

Myrtis later moved to Buffalo, New York and continued her education part-time while working as a part-time nurse's aide at Millard Fillmore Hospital. When she left the position of nurse's aide, she became an employee of the Buffalo Public Schools District as a full time teacher's aide and matriculated full time at Rosary Hill College (now Daemen College) until her senior year.

Myrtis is a graduate of Medaille College, Buffalo, New York, with a Batchelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and Reading. She has dual Masters of Science degrees in Elementary Education and Reading from Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.

For several years she taught reading in the Buffalo Public School System. Following her service with the school district, she obtained employment with the New York State Department of Correction Services at the Sandridge Education Center (Wende) in Alden, New York, where she taught reading, lifeskills, and ethnic studies. Myrtis implemented one of the first and most comprehensive ethnic studies programs in the New York State Correction Education System. Courses included African American History, Native American History along with some parts of Hispanic History. She received much support through the American Studies Program at the University of New York at Buffalo and other collegiate institutions. She, also, served as workshop leader for the Education Department of the New York State Correction Education System. In 1994 her name was placed in nomination for Teacher of the Year Award from the Eastern Region Correction Education Association Inc.

Upon her retirement in 1995, she received numerous awards including the CAYSA Award (Correction and Youth Services Award) in recognition of consistently demonstrating the highest qualities of corrections' professionalism through years of dedicated service and humanitarian acts.

A member of Humboldt Parkway Baptist Church, she has served in many capacities: Sunday School Teacher, Director of Vacation School, President and member of the Missionary Society, member of the Mass and Senior Choirs, serving as vice-president; the Deaconess Board (vice-president); President of the Pastor's aide Club. For the young people of the church she has been a role model and mentor, forming a "College Bound Programââ?¬ to help high school students with lifeskills, college selection and securing scholarships.

Myrtis is a member of the Great Lakes Baptist District Association, where she serves as treasurer of the Minister's Wives and Widow's Auxiliary. She is also a member of the Empire Baptist State Convention, serving as Second vice-president of the Ministers' Wives and Widow's Auxiliary. She has served on and chaired several committees. She is a member of the National Baptist Convention USA.

Her community memberships also include: Niagara Frontier Reading Council, where she has served on the Board of Directors and several committees; the New York State Reading Association; Lambda Nu Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an honor society in education; and the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier. She is a past member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) where she has served on several committees; International Committee--Women's Club SUNYAB, served as host family for foreign students; board member of Medaille College Alumni Association where she worked on many projects and fundraisers.

Myrtis is a life member of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). She is Silver Star (25 Year) member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Gamma Phi Omega Chapter, Buffalo, New York. Myrtis was a participant of the first groups of volunteers for Meals on Wheels when there was only one site and service was limited to the West Side of Buffalo.

She, along with two other nurse's aides, established the first union for non-nursing personnel staff at hospitals in the city of Buffalo. She also, assisted in the establishment of a union for teacher aides in the Buffalo Public School System.

Myrtis, an alto singer in her church choir, sang with the Rev. Bill Graham 3000 Voice Crusade Choir in Buffalo's Pilot Field on August 7, 1988. She is an avid gardener. She loves growing beautiful flowers and vegetables-- some of which are not grown in the Buffalo area such as watermelons, cantaloupes, sweet potatoes, okra, and sometimes peanuts.

Myrtis is a retired reading specialist who is still actively working with young people throughout the city to improve their choices of attending college. She is, also, Director of the College Bound Program, directing parents and student to sources of many scholarships and grants that are available to them.

Myrtis is the wife of Rev. Robert Jackson, the mother of two children, Wayne and Yvonne, and one granddaughter, Stacey.