John G. Jackson (writer)
Encyclopedia
John Glover Jackson was a Pan-Africanist historian
, lecturer
, teacher
and writer
. He promoted ideas of Afrocentrism
, Black atheists, and Jesus Christ in comparative mythology
.
Jackson was born in Aiken
, South Carolina
on 1 April 1907 and raised Methodist. At age 15 he moved to Harlem, New York
, where he enrolled in Stuyvesant High School
. During this time, Jackson became interested in African American
history and culture and began writing essays on the subject. They were so impressive that in 1925, while still a high school student, Jackson was invited to write for Marcus Garvey
's newspaper, Negro World
.
From 1930 onwards, Jackson became associated with a number of Pan-African historians, activists and writers, including Hubert H. Harrison, Arturo Alfonso Schomburg
, John Henrik Clarke
, Willis Nathaniel Huggins
and Joel Augustus Rogers
. He also authored a number of books on African history, promoting a Pan-African and Afrocentrist view, such as Man, God, and Civilization (1972) and Introduction to African Civilizations (1974). He also became interested in the idea of Christianity's origins in the Egyptian religion. A staunch atheist, he authored a number of books on the idea, including The African Origin of Christianity (1981) and Christianity before Christ (1985), as well as writing the foreword to Gerald Massey's
Lectures (1974). He also wrote the controversial text, Was Jesus Christ a Negro? (1984), which argued that Jesus may have been a black man
. In 1987, Jackson wrote a biographical article about Hubert Harrison
for American Atheists
called "Hubert Henry Harrison: The Black Socrates". In it, he praised not only Harrison's agnosticism, but also his educational and civil rights achievements. That same year he wrote a book with the same title and material.
During his life, Jackson also served as Associate Director of the Blyden Society
and lectured at many colleges and universities throughout the United States
. He died on 13 October 1993.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. He promoted ideas of Afrocentrism
Afrocentrism
Afrocentrism is cultural ideology mostly limited to the United States, dedicated to the history of Black people a response to global racist attitudes about African people and their historical contributions by revisiting this history with an African cultural and ideological center...
, Black atheists, and Jesus Christ in comparative mythology
Jesus Christ in comparative mythology
The study of Jesus from a mythographical perspective is the examination of the narrative of Jesus, the Christ of the gospels, Christian theology and folk Christianity as a central part of Christian mythology....
.
Jackson was born in Aiken
Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken is a city in and the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. With Augusta, Georgia, it is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. It is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aiken is home to the University of South...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
on 1 April 1907 and raised Methodist. At age 15 he moved to Harlem, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he enrolled in Stuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School , commonly referred to as Stuy , is a New York City public high school that specializes in mathematics and science. The school opened in 1904 on Manhattan's East Side and moved to a new building in Battery Park City in 1992. Stuyvesant is noted for its strong academic...
. During this time, Jackson became interested in African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
history and culture and began writing essays on the subject. They were so impressive that in 1925, while still a high school student, Jackson was invited to write for Marcus Garvey
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., ONH was a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League...
's newspaper, Negro World
Negro World
Negro World was a weekly newspaper, established in January 1918 in New York City, which served as the voice of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, an organization founded by Marcus Garvey in 1914...
.
From 1930 onwards, Jackson became associated with a number of Pan-African historians, activists and writers, including Hubert H. Harrison, Arturo Alfonso Schomburg
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, a.k.a. as Arthur Schomburg, , was a Puerto Rican historian, writer, and activist in the United States who researched and raised awareness of the great contributions that Afro-Latin Americans and Afro-Americans have made to society. He was an important intellectual figure...
, John Henrik Clarke
John Henrik Clarke
John Henrik Clarke , born John Henry Clark, was a Pan-Africanist American writer, historian, professor, and a pioneer in the creation of Africana studies and professional institutions in academia starting in the late 1960s.He was Professor of African World History and in 1969 founding chairman of...
, Willis Nathaniel Huggins
Willis Nathaniel Huggins
Willis Nathaniel Huggins was a historian and social activist. He was one of the earliest proponents of teaching African and African-American history in American schools.-Early life:...
and Joel Augustus Rogers
Joel Augustus Rogers
Joel Augustus Rogers was a Jamaican-American author, journalist, and historian who contributed to the history of Africa and the African diaspora, especially the history of African Americans in the United States. His research spanned the academic fields of history, sociology and anthropology...
. He also authored a number of books on African history, promoting a Pan-African and Afrocentrist view, such as Man, God, and Civilization (1972) and Introduction to African Civilizations (1974). He also became interested in the idea of Christianity's origins in the Egyptian religion. A staunch atheist, he authored a number of books on the idea, including The African Origin of Christianity (1981) and Christianity before Christ (1985), as well as writing the foreword to Gerald Massey's
Gerald Massey
Gerald Massey was an English poet and self-educated Egyptologist. He was born near Tring, Hertfordshire in England.-Biography:...
Lectures (1974). He also wrote the controversial text, Was Jesus Christ a Negro? (1984), which argued that Jesus may have been a black man
Race of Jesus
The race and appearance of Jesus have been discussed on a number of grounds since early Christianity, although the New Testament includes no description of the physical appearance of Jesus before his death and its narrative is generally indifferent to racial appearances.Despite the lack of direct...
. In 1987, Jackson wrote a biographical article about Hubert Harrison
Hubert Harrison
Hubert Henry Harrison was a West Indian-American writer, orator, educator, critic, and radical socialist political activist based in Harlem, New York. He was described by activist A. Philip Randolph as “the father of Harlem radicalism” and by the historian Joel Augustus Rogers as “the foremost...
for American Atheists
American Atheists
American Atheists is an organization in the United States dedicated to defending the civil liberties of atheists and advocating for the complete separation of church and state. It provides speakers for colleges, universities, clubs and the news media. It also publishes books and the monthly...
called "Hubert Henry Harrison: The Black Socrates". In it, he praised not only Harrison's agnosticism, but also his educational and civil rights achievements. That same year he wrote a book with the same title and material.
During his life, Jackson also served as Associate Director of the Blyden Society
Edward Wilmot Blyden
Edward Wilmot Blyden was an Americo-Liberian educator, writer, diplomat, and politician primarily in Liberia. He also taught for five years in Sierra Leone, and his writings were influential in both countries....
and lectured at many colleges and universities throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He died on 13 October 1993.
Selected bibliography
- Ethiopia and the Origin of Civilization (1939)
- Pagan Origins of the Christ Myth (1941)
- Man, God, and Civilization (1972)
- Introduction to African Civilizations (1974)
- Foreword to Gerald Massey's Lectures (1974)
- The Mysteries of Egypt (1980)
- The African Origin of Christianity (1981)
- Egypt and Christianity. Egypt Revisited (1982)
- The African Origin of the Myths and Legends of the Garden of Eden (1984)
- Was Jesus Christ a Negro? (1984)
- Christianity Before Christ (1985)
- Black Reconstruction in South Carolina (1987)
- The Golden Ages of Africa (1987)
- Hubert H. Harrison: The Black Socrates (1987)
- Ages of Gold and Silver and Other Short Sketches of Human History (1990)
- Introduction to The Story of the Moors in Spain (1990)
- The Empire of the Moors (1992)
- Krishna and Buddha: Black Gods of Asia. African Presence Early Asia (1996)
See also
- Pan-AfricanismPan-AfricanismPan-Africanism is a movement that seeks to unify African people or people living in Africa, into a "one African community". Differing types of Pan-Africanism seek different levels of economic, racial, social, or political unity...
- AfrocentrismAfrocentrismAfrocentrism is cultural ideology mostly limited to the United States, dedicated to the history of Black people a response to global racist attitudes about African people and their historical contributions by revisiting this history with an African cultural and ideological center...
- Black NationalismBlack nationalismBlack nationalism advocates a racial definition of indigenous national identity, as opposed to multiculturalism. There are different indigenous nationalist philosophies but the principles of all African nationalist ideologies are unity, and self-determination or independence from European society...
- Willis Nathaniel HugginsWillis Nathaniel HugginsWillis Nathaniel Huggins was a historian and social activist. He was one of the earliest proponents of teaching African and African-American history in American schools.-Early life:...
- Gerald MasseyGerald MasseyGerald Massey was an English poet and self-educated Egyptologist. He was born near Tring, Hertfordshire in England.-Biography:...
- Kersey GravesKersey GravesKersey Graves was a skeptic, atheist, spiritualist, Nontheist Friend, reformist and writer.-Life:Kersey Graves was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania on 21 November 1813.. His parents were Quakers, and as a young man he followed them in their observance, and then later moved to the Hicksite wing...