Marvel Jackson Cooke, a Life in Journalism: Gathering and Panel Discussion with Q&A
Join us on May 14, 2026 for the in-person community gathering and panel discussion with Q&A: Marvel Jackson Cooke, A Life in Journalism.
Doors open at 4:30pm CST. Light meal served.
Reconnect with neighbors, family, and friends for a special evening of conversation and reflection.
Location: Prospect Park United Methodist Church - Community Room
If you’d like, you can read the following materials prior to the event:
2. The Slave Market by Ella Baker and Marvel Cooke, NAACP
3: The Bronx Slave Market, 1950 by Marvel Cooke, Viewpoint Magazine
Additional reading:
All Interviews with Marvel Cooke, recorded by The Washington Press Club Foundation
Jackson Family Day 2026: Pratt Students Only
Announcing Jackson Family Day 2026, a celebration of legacy, learning, and community at Pratt Community School on May 15, 2026.
This annual event brings students and staff together to explore the powerful story of the Jackson family - Prospect Park’s first Black residents - through art projects, storytelling, and conversations with Jackson family descendants.
Established as an official city-wide day of recognition in 2024, Jackson Family Day invites our school community to reflect on themes of race, resilience, and neighborhood history in meaningful, age-appropriate ways.
Through creative expression and shared dialogue, students are encouraged to connect the past to the present - and imagine a more inclusive future.
Please note, the event is open to school community only.
PAST: In-Person Community Gathering & Panel Discussion
Reconnect with neighbors, family, and friends for a special evening of conversation and reflection.
Dr. Melvin Peters will participate in a live panel discussion and take questions from the audience as we explore the themes from A Man’s Life and the Jackson family’s ongoing legacy.
Event begins at 5pm CST at Pillars of Prospect Park, 22 Malcolm Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN.
How to Participate:
• Request selected book chapters by emailing Jerry Stein at Stein035@umn.edu.
• No registration required for the in-person gathering—just come as you are!
PAST: Virtual Author Conversation: “A Man's Life: An Autobiography by Roger Wilkins” with Dr. Melvin Peters
Join us for an online conversation with Dr. Melvin Peters, retired professor of African American Studies at Eastern Michigan University and a member of the Jackson family.
Dr. Peters will introduce the book A Man's Life: An Autobiography by Roger Wilkins (the grandson of Madison and Amy Jackson.) Afterward, he will lead a discussion on its connections to family legacy, racial justice, and resilience.
Begins at 3:30pm CST.
How to Participate:
Register for the Zoom event via this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/XYJeiwuESQisSMZSTTvvNQ#/registration
Email Jerry Stein to receive selected book chapters - Stein035@umn.edu