A Professor of History, with 28+ years of academics at the university level (most at NKU as Professor of History and Director of Black Studies Program), Dr. Eric R. Jackson has taught classes in the fields of American and African American History, Race Relations and Peace Studies.
Dr. Jackson has published a wide array of books, book reviews, articles, etc. in local, regional, national, and international journals (Journal of African American History, Journal of Negro Education, Ohio History, International Journal of World Peace, and Journal of Pan African Studies). With over fifty publications, Dr. Jackson continues to work on an online book/website on African Americans in Cincinnati (Oxford University Press), co-authored Cincinnati’s Underground Railroad (Arcadia Publishing, Inc.), co-authored Unique Challenges in Urban Schools: The Involvement of African American Parents (Rowman and Littlefield, May 2015), and authored Let Freedom Ring for Everyone (Cognella, 2020/21). He is in the process of writing an Introduction to Black Studies textbook (University of Kentucky Press, 2023). In addition, Dr. Jackson is a content expert and/or grant reviewer for the National Endowment for the Humanities and a member of the Grant Professional Association. He is the Interim Editor of Journal of Pan African Studies, and in 2017, he received the Second International World Civility Award from “I Change Nations”.
Dr. Jackson joined the Boone County Public Library Board of Trustees as Vice President in July 2021. He has served on several boards from the Boone County Historic Preservation Review Board to the Kentucky Preservation Review Board to the Kentucky African American Heritage Commission. According to Dr. Jackson, “It is my belief that my service on the BCPL Board will have more direct impact on the community, especially in education as well as areas of diversity and inclusion.
As a historian, my favorite aspect of BCPL is Local History. I have participated in several projects/initiatives that focus on African American history/studies and the Underground Railroad (with gratitude and leadership from Bridget Striker and Hillary Delany).
Dr. Jackson loves watching baseball, especially in-person. As an overly enthusiastic Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox fan, he taught a History of Baseball course at NKU. Traveling the United States and abroad is a hobby for Dr. Jackson. His favorite places include Nairobi in Kenya, and Doha in Qatar. Dr. Jackson and his wife BJ, a registered nurse, have lived in Boone County for 20+ years. Their daughter and son are graduates of Boone County Schools.
Meet the BCPL Board of Trustees
Dr. Eric Jackson – Vice President
Chris Lange – Treasurer
Emily Myers (coming soon)
Meet the BCPL Executive Director
Carrie Herrmann – Executive Director
Meet the BCPL Directors
Jennifer Timmerman – Youth Services and Outreach Director
Sherri Slavey – Human Resources
Samantha Sizemore (coming in November)
Jennifer Gregory (coming in December)
Michael Savarino – Information Technology Director
Jennifer Cheek – Public Relations and Marketing (coming in February 2023)
Dawna Bach – Public Services (coming in March 2023)
Meet the BCPL Managers
Teresa Sayers – Collection Development Manager
Melanie Sperling – Outreach Manager (coming soon)
Rich Webster – Digital Services Branch Manager (coming soon)
Jill Frasher – Youth Services Manager (coming soon)
Anastasia Perez – Youth Services Manager (coming soon)
Karen Helmle – Page Supervisor/Public Service Associate (coming soon)