Sherman J. Jones, a citizen of Wyandotte County, Kansas, and member of the Kansas State Legislature from 1988-2000, was born in Winton (Hertford County), North Carolina on February 10, 1935. The son of rural sharecroppers, Gladys and Starkie S. Jones, he played professional baseball in both major and minor leagues from 1953-1964. While playing for the Hawks of Topeka, Kansas, he met and married his wife Amelia. Two years of service the U.S. Army interrupted his baseball career in the late 1950s. In 1965, Jones settled in Kansas City, Kansas, and joined the Kansas City Kansas Police Department, where he served for 23 years.
Retiring from his position as detective sergeant in 1988, Jones ran for a seat in the Kansas House of Representatives. He was elected that year, and successfully campaigned for a seat in the state Senate in 1992, where he served until 2000. During his time in office, Jones was active in several legislative associations representing the interests of African Americans and other minorities within his Wyandotte County district; he also participated in several legislative committees in both the House and Senate.
From the guide to the Papers, 1987-2000, (University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library Kansas Collection)
