[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 13, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E302]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                  BLACK HISTORY MONTH--HAROLD JACKSON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 13, 2019

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor a third-
generation servant leader from my community of Tampa, Florida, Harold 
A. Jackson, Jr. who was born at Tampa Negro Hospital to the late 
Jacqueline Haynes Jackson and the late Harold A. Jackson, Sr. Jackson 
learned about service at a young age as his father served in the U.S. 
Army during World War II and returned to Tampa to become one of our 
hometown's pioneering African American civil rights attorneys and led 
local desegregation efforts. His mother was a beloved educator and 
retired after 33 years as an elementary school teacher in Tampa.
  Mr. Jackson followed in his parents' footsteps of service and 
dedicated his professional life to the health and well-being of our 
community. In 1978, Mr. Jackson started a 30-year plus career with the 
Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department. He 
rose through the ranks to become a Recreation Area Supervisor during a 
time of tremendous growth and change for this county. He planned, 
organized and directed the overall operations of community-based 
recreation programs, which are critical in promoting healthy, 
prosperous and connected communities as well as building social equity 
and support for working families. During his tenure with Hillsborough 
County, he continued to build on his legacy of community service. For 
27 years, he served on the board of directors for Tampa Family Health 
Centers, a federally qualified health center. He was elected chair and 
vice chair of the board of directors on several occasions. During this 
time, Tampa Family Health Centers grew from one clinic to 14 and 
greatly expanded access to comprehensive health care services for 
hundreds of thousands of our neighbors, especially uninsured or 
underinsured individuals.
  After retiring from the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and 
Conservation Department, Mr. Jackson began a leadership role for Tampa 
Family Health Centers as Community Relations Liaison. He truly extends 
himself to help meet the needs of the medically underserved, whoever 
and wherever they are. His efforts while serving on my 14th 
Congressional District of Florida Puerto Rico Recovery and Assistance 
Task Force were nothing short of extraordinary and very meaningful at a 
time when displaced Puerto Rican families faced significant challenges 
in re-establishing their lives following the devastating landfall of 
Hurricane Maria in 2017. Mr. Jackson ensured families who relocated to 
Tampa had access without barriers to the services of Tampa Family 
Health Centers, facilitating their medical appointments to cut down on 
wait times with scheduling and transportation challenges.
  He is a graduate of St. Peter Claver Catholic School in Tampa, a 125-
year old historically black school that today proudly continues to 
provide families and students excellence in education. Mr. Jackson 
returned to St. Peter Claver to serve on the school's board of 
directors and in 1994, as president of the school's development 
council, he launched a $2 million capital campaign to establish a 
state-of-the-art learning environment. Mr. Jackson also graduated from 
Tampa Catholic High School in 1974 and went on to complete his criminal 
justice degree from the University of Tampa.
  Mr. Jackson strongly exhibits the unequivocal mark of a servant 
leader, one who quietly aspires and inspires leadership by consummately 
doing good--going the extra mile. His contributions to community 
initiatives are numerous--helping to launch the University Area 
Community Development Corporation, cofounding a youth council in our 
community that has now grown to be one of its largest and serving as 
organizer for Tampa's largest Veterans Day Parade.
  Madam Speaker, on behalf of a grateful Tampa Bay community, I am 
proud to recognize Mr. Harold A. Jackson, Jr. for his servant's heart 
and carrying forth his family's legacy of community service across the 
Tampa Bay Area.

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