Rhett Jackson papers, 1930-2003.

ArchivalResource

Jackson, Rhett. Rhett Jackson papers, 1930-2003.

Rhett Jackson papers, 1930-2003.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/54396327

Consisting chiefly of correspondence and other items, 1930, 1932, 1946, 1962-2003, documenting Rhett Jackson's active involvement with various social justice causes, his bookstore (the Happy Bookseller), South Carolina Parole and Community Corrections Board, Alston Wilkes Society, Claflin College's Board of Trustees, Greater Columbia Community Relations Council, the United Methodist Church, and an organization called "United 2000," a citizens group opposed to the display of the Confederate flag on public property. Jackson chaired the committee that was appointed to develop the plan to merge the African-American and white conferences of the Methodist church in South Carolina and served on the national committee to study race relations and mergers of conferences across the United States. Minutes, reports, and correspondence document the committee's work. There is a substantial file regarding the case of the Rev. Karl Mertz who was "fired" by his local congregation and subsequently dismissed by the Mississippi conference. In 1982, Jackson was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Booksellers Association, and in 1986, he assumed the presidency. Collection includes minutes of ABA board meetings and correspondence with Executive Director Bernie Rath, legal counsel Maxwell Lillienstein, ABA board members, and others provide an overview of economic and legal issues that concerned American booksellers in the 1980s and 1990s. Extensive letter files include correspondence with John Shelby Spong, Carlyle Marney, Will Willimon, James Armstrong, and Methodist bishops Woodie White, Joseph Bethea, Jack Meadors, Roy Clark, Edward Tullis, and Lawrence McCleskey. Jackson's correspondence with church leaders discusses the state of the church, theological questions, and social issues. In the 26 July 2002 issue of the United Methodist Reporter, Jackson argued the United Methodist Church's General Conference in 2004 might become a battleground with representatives of the Confessing movement, the Good News movement, and The Institute of Religion and Democracy seeking to control the General Conference and ultimately controlling the theology and mission of the United Methodist Church. The collection includes several hundred letters and emails that Jackson received in response to his article. Responses also appeared in United Methodist Church publications and included clergy and laypeople. The majority of responses from clergy agreed with the concerns expressed in his article.

5 linear ft. (4 cartons)

University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries