Editing Maynard Jackson (section)

==Family history, background and personal life==
Jackson was born into a family that valued education and political activism. His maternal grandfather was [[civil rights]] leader [[John Wesley Dobbs]], who worked to successfully overturn the [[white primary]] in Georgia. He also gained the hiring of black police officers in Atlanta and lighting of Auburn Street, the main retail street of the black community. Maynard's mother Irene (Dobbs) Jackson was one of six daughters; all graduated from [[Spelman College]], encouraged by their parents. Irene earned a doctorate in France and became a professor of French at the college.

His father Maynard Holbrook Jackson was a [[Baptist]] minister from [[New Orleans]]. He became active in civil rights in [[Dallas, Texas]], where he had grown up after his family moved. His grandfather Alexander Stephens Jackson had been a Baptist minister and educator in Louisiana and Texas. The young Jackson's father died when he was fifteen; his grandfather Dobbs became even more influential in his life.<ref name="nga">[http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/government-politics/maynard-jackson-1938-2003 Bradley R. Rice, "Maynard Jackson (1938-2003)"], ''New Georgia Encyclopedia,'' edited January 6, 2016, accessed April 7, 2016</ref>

Jackson attended [[David T. Howard High School]] in Atlanta<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/david-howard-from-georgia-slave-atlanta-philanthropist/BlsNK0GcM6WPKVGIf43SBK/|title = David T. Howard: From Georgia slave to Atlanta philanthropist|newspaper = The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref> and [[Morehouse College]], a [[historically black college]] for men in Atlanta, graduating in 1956 at the age of eighteen. He sang in the [[Morehouse College Glee Club]].<ref name="mcgc">{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gjsOK4p-UFIC&q=%22morehouse+college%22+%22glee+club%22&pg=PA15755 |title=Honoring Maynard Holbrook Jackson |journal=Congressional Record |date=June 23, 2003 |page=15755|isbn=9780160780523 |last1=Congress |first1=U. S. }}</ref> After attending the [[Boston University]] Law School for a short time, Jackson held several jobs, including selling encyclopedias. He returned to graduate studies, attending the [[North Carolina Central University]] Law School. He graduated with a law degree in 1964. He was a member of [[Alpha Phi Alpha]] fraternity.

Jackson married [https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/bunnie-jackson-ransom-41 Burnella "Bunnie" Hayes], in 1965. The couple had three children, Elizabeth, Brooke, Maynard III.<ref name="nga"/> Prior to their divorce, Bunnie Jackson founded ''First Class, Inc''. She was the first African-American woman to own a public relations and marketing firm in Atlanta.

Jackson married [[Valerie Richardson]] in 1977, to whom he was married for 25 years until his death. They have two daughters, Valerie and Alexandra.<ref name="nga"/> Valerie Jackson hosts ''Between the Lines'' each weekend on the WABE-FM radio station, the Atlanta Public Broadcasting station.