Richard E Jackson

Richard Ernest Jackson, Jr. (born July 18, 1945) is an American politician and mathematics teacher. He made black history in 1984 when he became Mayor of the City of Peekskill. Peekskill was the first city in all of New York State to have an African American Mayor, making Jackson - as reported by both the New York Times . and Ebony Magazine. - New York State's first African American Mayor. In 1974, the Village of Bridgewater (population 574) laid some claim that their Village elected an African American Mayor, Everett T. Holmes, prior to Mayor Jackson's appointment. Everett served as mayor from 1974-1976 and from 1979 until his death in 1982. However, the village of Cleveland in Oswego County can claim the first African American to be elected its chief executive. Edward "Ned" Sherman was elected in a special election in May, 1878 to fill the unexpired term of the chief executive, called President of the village, who quit a month after being elected.

After serving eight years as mayor, Richard E. Jackson later became a member of Governor Patakiʼs Gubernatorial cabinet when he was appointed by the Governor in 1995, to become New York State's Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. Jackson served Commissioner from 1995 to 2000.

Richard Jackson is married to Ruth Jackson, an elementary school music teacher, and the couple has four children; Tara, Alice, Abigail, and William, and four grandchildren, Ava, Kale, Claire and Madison.

Jackson taught Calculus and Pre-Calculus at Averill Park High School in the 2014-2015 school year, filling in for a teacher on maternity leave.