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| Record Creator: | Jackson, Kelly Lee |
| Title: | Kelly Lee and Viola Coulbourne Jackson Papers |
| Date Span: | 1955-1993 |
| Abstract: | The Kelly Lee and Viola Coulbourne Jackson Papers document the work and ministry of both husband and wife. Reverend Kelly Lee Jackson's leadership continually manifested itself as a successful chaplain, minister, District Superintendent, educator, administrator and crusader for human rights. He worked ceaselessly after retirement for the N. M. Carroll Home in Baltimore as both Chairman for the Board of Directors and fund raiser for the newly constructed manor. One of the new buildings in the complex would bear his name in appreciation for his leadership. Viola Coulborne Jackson was an educator, church person, and civic leader. For thirty-seven years she worked for the development of youth and the advancement of religious and civic endeavors. The Kelly Lee and Viola Coulborne Jackson Papers consist of scrapbooks, writings, clippings, photographs, slides, cassettes, audio reels, 8mm film reels, artifacts, and pamphlets dating from the 1930s to 1993 which document their lives and careers both within and beyond the local church. |
| Extent: | 0.54 cubic feet |
| Identification: | aamc.ms.gcah4887 |
Reverend Kelly Lee Jackson was a minister, educator, administrator and crusader for human rights. He was born in May 31, 1898, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina to Andrew and Martha Jane Jackson. He graduated from Morgan State College (A.B., 1926), Garrett Biblical Institute (B.D., 1929), and Boston University (M.A., 1933). Jackson received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Virginia Seminary and College in Lynchburg, Virginia on May 18, 1984. He served in the pastorate for sixty years and traveled extensively to England, France, and Africa. He married Viola Coulborne on December 26, 1932.
Early in his career he taught religion and served as chaplain at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina and Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas. He first served in the Delaware Conference for four years, before being transferred to the Washington Conference. There he served as Conference Treasurer, Dean of the Methodist Youth Institute, Chairman of the Board of Education, Editor of the Baltimore Preacher's Meeting, and was General Conference Delegation Leader for twelve years. He was the organizer and first President of the Black United Methodist Preachers.
Jackson's first pastoral appointment in the Washington Conference was Mount Zion Methodist Church in 1939. Kelly would be appointed twice to Sharp Street Memorial Methodist Church (1943-1947and 1962-1967) where he would eventually retire from full-time appointed ministries. Between his stints at Sharp he would serve at the Metropolitan Methodist Church from 1950 to 1956. The bishop recognized Jackson's leadership qualities and would appoint him a District Superintendent for both the West Baltimore (1947-1950) and Washington Districts (1956-1962).
Following his retirement, he served as interim pastor of Ames Memorial Methodist Church and as assistant pastor of Garrison Boulevard and Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Baltimore. Jackson served eight years as chairman of the Board of Directors of the N. M. Carroll Home for the Aged in Baltimore, which he considered to be his second ministry. A section of the manor would be named in his honor after he spearheaded and mobilized support for the construction of the 3.5 million dollars building project. Kelly Jackson died of cancer on March 12, 1987 at the age of eighty-eight.
Viola Coulborne Jackson was an educator, churchperson, civic leader, and a tireless influential personality. She was born on December 16, 1900, in Quantico, Maryland, to John and Helen Coulbourne. For thirty-seven years she worked for the development of youth and the advancement of religious and civic endeavors. Jackson received her formal education at Princess Anne Academy in Princess Anne, Maryland, Coppin State Teachers College and Morgan State College. She also completed summer studies at Columbia University in New York City and at Loyola College in Baltimore.
Viola began her teaching career in 1920 at the Girdletree, Maryland, school system. After graduating from Coppin State Teachers College in 1924, she became a classroom instruction and would advance to demonstration teacher, supervising teacher for trainees, vice principal, principal, and curriculum supervisor. She was principal of the Henry Highland Garnett Elementary School Number 103 in Baltimore City prior to her assignment as head of the William M. Alexander Elementary School Number 112. Jackson retired in 1959.
After her marriage Kelly Jackson, as the pastor and district superintendent's spouse for his various appointments, she would also become involved with other ministries as well. She was District Director of Youth Work, North Baltimore District, Secretary of Promotion and of Missionary Education for the Woman's Society of Christian Service in the North Baltimore and Washington Conferences, as well as the president and vice-president of the Washington Conference of Woman's Society of Christian Service. In 1961, Jackson developed the Adams Morgan Project 314, an urban renewal undertaking in Washington, D.C. From 1964 to 1966, she was the Associate Director at Coppin State College and led the YOO3 Project for Preparing Teachers for Teaching in the Inner City Schools. Upon leaving her educational career, Jackson would volunteer to be the Director of the Lillie M. Carroll Jackson Museum until 1984. Other positions include a board member of the Peale Museum and Walters Art Gallery, member of the Interdenominational Ministers' Wives, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, DuBois Circle, the National Council of Negro Women, and the Matinee Ensemble. Jackson would also serve as representative of the Women's Civic League and the Young Women's Christian Association (YMCA)
In August 1951, she traveled to England and the European continent while her husband was a delegate to the Methodist Ecumenical Conference in Oxford, England. Jackson would travel overseas in 1958 to teach junior high school English and Bible at Hobara, Japan, for two months.
Viola Jackson died two months after her husband on May 3, 1987 at the age of eighty-six.
The Kelly Lee and Viola Coulborne Jackson Papers are comprised of scrapbooks, writings, clippings, photographs, slides, cassettes, audio reels, 8mm film reels, artifacts, and pamphlets dating from the 1930s to 1993. This collection reflects the works in the community and public adoration of the Jacksons.
The slides of the collection cover the trips they took to New Jersey, Liberia, Ghana, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados and Antigua. The photographs and scrapbooks cover major events in the Jacksons' lives. For example, there is a scrapbook of Reverend Jackson receiving his Honorary Degree from Virginia Seminary and College in 1984. There are also photographs from the Washington and Delaware Annual Conferences. The clippings cover both Reverend Kelly and Viola Jackson through their works in the community. There are also two half tone plates, one of Kelly and one of Viola.
There are eighteen 8mm films in the collection. Most are labeled Fletcher or D. Fletcher with various titles where the recordings took place and content. Fletcher is Reverend Dennis R. Fletcher who was a dynamic leader in both the Black local churches as well as an executive leader in the general United Methodist Church. The Jacksons were close friends of Fletcher. Kelly Jackson collected assorted media on Fletcher's speaking engagements during his lifetime. The last film documents his trip to Ghana.
Materials have been arranged in the following manner.
The collection is arranged by family member and record types.
When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, Kelly Lee and Viola Coulbourne Jackson Papers, African American Methodist Heritage Center - GCAH, Madison, New Jersey. Do not make use of the item's call number as that is not a stable descriptor.
There are no restrictions regarding this collection.
Detailed use restrictions relating to our collections can be requested from the office of the archivist at the General Commission on Archives and History. Photocopying is handled by the staff and may be limited in certain instances. Before using any material for publication from this collection a formal request for permission to publish is expected and required.
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| Call Number | Folder Title | Date(s) |
| 2413-4-2: 1 | Biographical Information | 1958-1987 |
| 2413-4-2: 2 | Forrest C. Smith and Family | 1978 |
| 2413-4-2: 3 | 40th Anniversary Scrapbook | 1972 |
| 2413-4-2: 4 | Elaine Fields Scrapbook Page | Undated |
| 2413-4-2: 5 | Great Hymns Choir | 1955-1976 |
| 2413-4-2: 6 | Lillie Carroll Jackson Museum | 1981-1987 |
| 2413-4-2: 7 | Metropolitan United Methodist Church | 1984 |
| 2413-4-2: 8 | N.M. Carroll Manor | 1978-1987 |
| 2413-4-2: 9 | N.M. Carroll Manor " Second Retirement" Scrapbook | 1978 |
| 2413-4-2: 10 | Photographs: Washington and Delaware Annual Conferences | Undated |
| 2413-4-2: 11 | Sharp Street Memorial Methodist Church | 1962-1977 |
| 2413-4-2: 12 | Virginia Seminary and College Honorary Degree Scrapbook | 1984 |
| 2413-4-2: 13 | Slides: Liberia | 1966 |
| 2413-4-2: 14 | Slides: Ghana | 1966 |
| 2413-4-2: 15 | Slides: Liberia and Ghana | 1966 |
| 2413-4-2: 16 | Slides: Bethune - Cookman College 1966 and Bethune - Cookman College Football Game 1970 | 1966-1970 |
| 2413-4-2: 17 | Slides: St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Montclair, NJ | 1976 |
| 2413-4-2: 18 | Slides: St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Montclair, NJ | 1977 |
| 2413-4-2: 19 | Slides: Trinidad and Tobago Folder 1 | 1978 |
| 2413-4-2: 20 | Slides: Trinidad and Tobago Folder 2 | 1978 |
| 2413-4-2: 21 | Slides: Guyana | 1978 |
| 2413-4-2: 22 | Slides: Barbados and Antigua | 1978 |
| 2413-4-2: 24 | Half Tone Plate of Mrs. Viola Jackson | Undated |
| 2413-4-2: 25 | Half Tone Plate of Rev Jackson | Undated |
| 2413-4-2: 23 | Clippings | 1962-1987 |
| 2413-4-3: 1 | 8mm Film: Fletcher 2 | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 2 | 8mm Film: Fletcher 3 | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 3 | 8mm Film: Fletcher 4 | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 4 | 8mm Film: Fletcher 5 | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 5 | 8mm Film: Fletcher 6 | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 6 | 8mm Film: Fletcher 7 | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 7 | 8mm Film: Fletcher 8 | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 8 | 8mm Film: Fletcher 9 | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 9 | 8mm Film: Fletcher 10 | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 10 | 8mm Film: Fletcher 11 | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 11 | 8mm Film: D. Fletcher - Fishla?, Florida | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 12 | 8mm Film: D. Fletcher - Philadelphia, Mission Church Board and Mrs. Cole | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 13 | 8mm Film: D. Fletcher - Florida Annual Conference | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 14 | 8mm Film: Fletcher - Picture of ?, ?,Phelps-?, ? Hayes | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 15 | 8mm Film: D. R. Fletcher - Delta Ministry, ? City | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 16 | 8mm Film: Fletcher - Ghana | 1979 |
| 2413-4-3: 17 | 8mm Film: Fletcher - Sherman, Texas and Churches in Mississippi | Undated |
| 2413-4-3: 18 | 8mm Film: No title | Undated |
