[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 194 (Thursday, November 4, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S7785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                      REMEMBERING DOROTHY JACKSON

 Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
honoring an Ohio trailblazer who we lost last month, the first woman to 
serve as deputy mayor for the city of Akron, Dorothy Ola Jackson.
  Former Akron mayor Tom Sayer, who nominated her to become deputy 
mayor, called her an ``urbanist saint.'' And she was. Born in Akron, 
OH, in 1933, Dorothy Ola Jackson's life of service was molded by the 
loss of her brother and parents before the age of 24. She became a 
fierce advocate for families and for her community.
  For 12 years, she worked at Goodwill, starting as a secretary and 
rising to serve as assistant public relations director. She helped 
organize special projects and volunteer efforts. Knowing American Sign 
Language and as a person of deep faith, she would sign a Bible reading 
to the company's 30 deaf employees every morning.
  She went on to work as a human services administrator for Akron 
Metropolitan Housing Authority for 16 years, where she helped transform 
the agency.
  In 1984, Dorothy Ola Jackson became deputy mayor of intergovernmental 
relations, where she continued advocating for those who often had no 
other voice in the city. During her first year in office, she helped 
organize the city's first day camp for disabled children.
  She said, ``People who have never had a voice in government can now 
get a little closer.''
  Deputy Mayor Jackson has received many awards and accolades 
throughout her life, including the United Way Distinguished Service 
Award, the Bert A. Polsky Humanitarian Award, the Akron Urban League's 
Community Service Award, and in 1984, she was named Woman of the Year 
by Akron Business and Professional Women-USA.
  But she often said the most meaningful honor came when the Akron 
Metropolitan Housing Authority named a property that houses disabled 
residents, the Dorothy O. Jackson Terrace Apartments in downtown Akron.
  Dorothy dedicated her life to serving and helping others and to 
making Akron a better place for all its residents. The legacy of Deputy 
Mayor Jackson will live on through her far-reaching work and through 
the many lives she touched.

                          ____________________