Beacon Vol 3

Still at
the Table
Former Savannah mayor Edna Jackson
hardly rests in retirement – instead she
mentors future female leaders
BY JESSICA LEIGH LEBOS
Ever since she was a young woman,
Edna Jackson has never been afraid to
wade into the big issues — literally.
In 1960, along with eleven others,
Jackson spent the night in the Tybee Island
jail for swimming in the ocean, a crime for
people of color on Savannah’s whites-only
beach. That “wade-in” was just one of many
peaceful protests, voter registration drives,
and other effective efforts organized the
local NAACP chapter led by W.W. Law, the
beloved activist and nationally recognized
civil rights leader. As one of Law’s first
disciples, Jackson made history.
She made history again in 2011 when,
after serving three terms on the Savannah
City Council, she was the first (and
thus far only) African-American woman
to be elected to the city’s most prominent
public position. Often called “Madame
Mayor,” Edna Jackson was known for the
flower on her lapel and unflappable composure
during a tenure marked by violent
crime, a city manager scandal, and a federal
investigation and subsequent incarceration
of a police chief.
Her administration is also credited
with simplifying city procedures for small
businesses, increasing the police department
budget for recruitment, and tirelessly
advocating for solutions that would
“bring everybody to the table.” Her reputation
for consensus building has not
waned since she lost her bid for re-election
in 2015. While she continues to serve
on several boards and travels around
the region as a WomenHeart Champion
health educator, Jackson has also been
supporting the next generation of Savannah
political leadership.
“Edna is a treasure of our community.
When she could have stepped back in
her retirement from civic life, she instead
readily accepted our invitation to serve as
a board member,” says Murem Sharpe of
Georgia’s WIN List, a political action committee
that recruits and trains progressive
women candidates and elected officials
statewide. “Women running for election
and re-election, from city to county to state
to federal office, regularly ask for Edna’s
savvy advice, which she offers with tireless
generosity and unparalleled knowledge.”
Amanda Hollowell, who completed
Georgia’s WIN List Leadership Academy
in 2017, admires how the septuagenarian
leads by example.
“For me, being able to watch Mayor
Jackson is always a blessing. You can learn
so much from someone by just being in
their presence,” says Hollowell, who currently
serves as the Georgia state director
September 2019 BEACON 45