Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, who was one of the most politically influential and respected Black ministers in New Jersey in the 1990s and 2000s, died on November 26. He was 71.
Jackson came to New Jersey in 1979 as the pastor of St. John AME Church in Jersey City before moving to St. Matthew AME Church in Orange two years later. He held the post of executive director of the Black Ministers Council, which included more than 600 churches in New Jersey.
He served as chairman of the Essex County College Board of Trustees, and served on the Orange Board of Education.
After Republican Christine Todd Whitman was elected governor in 1993, allegations surfaced that a national Republican consultant, Ed Rollins, spent over $500,000 to discourage Democratic poll workers from voting. Black ministers sought an apology, and Jackson defended Whitman.
Jackson played a leading role during the allegations that racial profiling ran rampant in the New Jersey State Police.
“He pursued that work with courage and integrity, even amid threats, and he did it as a pastor whose love for people was inseparable from a relentless commitment to truth,” said Rev. Charles F. Boyer. “Bishop Jackson set the standard for Black faith engagement in public life in our state.”
Gov. Phil Murphy said Jackson “was a trusted source of guidance and counsel, and I will always cherish the wisdom he shared on issues big and small.”
“His deep commitment to faith, social justice, and civic life left an enduring impact on our state,” Murphy stated.
In a statement, Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill and Lt. Gov.-elect Dale Caldwell called Jackson “a towering moral force and one of New Jersey’s most influential faith leaders.”
“His voice, his courage, and his unwavering commitment to justice strengthened communities across our state and far beyond,” they said.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the Jackson family and the AME Church community. New Jersey has lost a giant, and we are holding his loved ones and all who were inspired by his leadership in our prayers.”
Jackson left New Jersey after being elected Bishop of the African Methodist Church and has been a resident of Atlanta.
His wife, Christie Davis Jackson, died last year. He is survived by his two children.