Robert L. Jackson is a lifelong resident of Quitman County and has been employed with Quitman County Development Organization, Inc. (QCDO), since March 1977, of which he has served as the Chief Executive Officer since 1987. He also helped found the First Delta Federal Credit Union in 1981 and in 2009 it merged with the Shreveport Federal Credit Union serving the North Mississippi Delta. Shreveport total assets are approaching $105 million dollars to date. He has over 36 years of rural community economic development and philanthropic experience in rural Mississippi and the Mid-South.
Robert was elected to the Quitman County Board of Supervisors in 1987 after two unsuccessful attempts and served two terms until 1995. His first race was in 1979 two years after graduating from college. His slogan then as a young enterprising community servant was, “Old Enough to Know the Job, and Young Enough to Do it.” In November 2003, he was elected to the Mississippi State Senate, representing District 11, which includes Coahoma, Quitman, Tunica and Tate Counties. He serves on several committees including Chairman of the Executive Contingent Fund, Vice Chair of Labor, Appropriations, Energy, Ports and Marine Resources, Public Property, Agriculture and Business and Financial Institutions. He also serves as Treasurer for the MS Legislative Black Caucus.
He continues to serve on numerous non – profit boards of directors, both locally and regionally. Senator Jackson is a member of the board of Directors of Mississippi Action for Community Education (MACE), Foundation for the Mid-South, The Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center in Clarksdale, MS, and the Delta Burial Corporation (since 1996).
State Senator Jackson’s education includes a B.S. Degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi and has done further studies at Delta State University and Antioch University of Yellow Stone, Ohio. He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Member of Delta LISC Advisory Board, Stand UP for Rural America, NAACP, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, National Association of State Legislatures, and the Southern Legislative Conference.
In addition to being active in his community, Robert lends his leadership skills as an active member and Board of Deacon Ministry of Pleasant Hope Missionary Baptist Church of Lambert, MS, where he was born. He also takes advantage of volunteering opportunities. Robert is married to the former Gloria Richmond of Lambert of which they have a blended family of six (6) lovely children, Danielle, Nikara, Reginald, Lisa, Dametra and Zakiya.
