Lacey commemorates two of its Black legends, Thelma and Nat Jackson, at a dedication event

 Civil rights advocates Nat and Dr. Thelma Jackson have been active for more than 50 years in Thurston County, pushing for equal opportunities for African Americans and people of color.

At a dedication ceremony on Tuesday attended by some 60 people at the Lacey Community Center, the city unveiled two monuments dedicated to the Jackson couple, seeking to cement their contributions as inspiration for generations to come.

• The mosaic portrait hangs just inside the front door of the Lacey Community Center (see above). It was created by artist Jennifer Kuhns and funded by a grant from the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.
• The marker is located on the Karen Fraser Woodland Trail, next to Goose Pond, near the Boys & Girls Club at approximately 1105 Tracey Lane SE, Lacey. The historical marker, made using a modern photo-porcelain process on steel, was made possible by a grant from the Washington State Historical Society.

The couple’s story

They first arrived in the state in 1968 and quickly established themselves as influential protagonists in the fight for equal opportunity. During the period when Black people found it especially hard to find opportunities, Nat worked for the City of Pasco briefly before becoming president of the East Pasco Self-Help Cooperative. Thelma worked as a biochemist for Battelle Northwest in Richland.

Subsequently, Nat became an assistant to Governor Dan Evans and the president of the Thurston County Urban League. Thelma proceeded to become a professor after receiving her Ph.D., while also serving as Chairwoman of the Evergreen State College Board of Trustees and community leader.

They moved to Thurston County in 1970.

The fight for equal rights and inclusion

The Jackson couple ceaselessly advocated for hate-crimes legislation. Each fought for civil rights in their own special ways. Nat told The JOLT that he is the only person alive in Washington state who organized for and marched with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., both in Chicago in 1966 and in Marion, Alabama, just 90 days before King was assassinated in April 1968.

Lately, he’s better known as the U.S. National Jump Rope King, having set the speed-jumping record on NBC’s Steve Harvey Show in 2017.

Thelma Jackson collaborated with the Work Options for Women (W.O.W.) initiative in 1975, helping women who were the primary breadwinners to escape poverty. Dr. Jackson also founded Foresight Consultants to advance diversity and justice in education. Thelma served as the chairperson of both the Commission on African American Affairs and the Washington State Legislative Ethics Board.

After Nat headed the East Pasco project, he joined the state Office of Economic Opportunity. He advocated for the state Equal Rights Amendment in 1972. In 1974, Nat collaborated with physicians and lawmakers to pass a law mandating insurance providers to pay hospital and physician expenses incurred during the first 48 hours of a baby's life. As president of the Thurston County Urban League, he advocated for legislation to suspend the liquor licenses of private clubs that engaged in discrimination.

The list of their activities for people of color then goes on – attending funerals of Blacks killed by police or white supremacists, setting up foundations against hate crimes, supporting legislation, and making the community a better place for all.

Thelma and Nat spoke at the dedication ceremony

The couple, together with some of their family members, were present at the ceremony to unveil the monuments to their lives.

“Thank you all so much for taking the time to come and join us for this special day. We are humbled and grateful for the recognition,” Dr. Jackson said as she welcomed special guests to the event.

She talked about how she and her husband have been witness to tremendous growth and expansion, straying away from the diversity, socio-economics, and social justice issues with which Lacey has wrestled.

“We've seen the business development, the educational opportunities, and services that I saw up close and personally as a school board member with the North Thurston public schools for 20 years,” she added.

The portrait, Thelma said, represents a shift in the mindset of the City of Lacey and its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

“We are proud of the roles we have played and the contributions we have made toward making this greater community a better place for all who live here, particularly Blacks and other people of color. My work on the city's Equity Commission is the focus of our work,” Thelma said with pride.

Nat joined his wife at the podium, stating how proud he is of his heritage. “If you know me, you know how proud I am to be Black. You understand how far we have come? We are very honored. And this is a historic moment for Lacey,” Nat said, adding, “the City of Lacey is a great city, and I believe that it’s on its way to becoming the number one city in the U.S.”