Raymond Lewis Jackson was born July 13, 1939, to Lois Andrews and Louie Jackson in Red Bay, Florida. He is the 2nd older of the 13 siblings; 10 boys and 3 girls. Raymon is a member of Mt. Olive (Red Bay) A.M.E. Church. Raymond is retired from the Coca-Cola Bottling Co., and the Florida Department of Correction, and currently owns his own business, Wedding Wishes & Sew, which provides a variety of services for brides and grooms. A 1956 graduate of Tivoli High School, Raymond went on to receive his AA from Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, and later his Criminal Justice Degree. He is the proud husband and father of four daughters. Raymond has 1 son-in-law, six grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Raymond holds numerous positions within the church and its committees. He serves as the President of the Tri-County Branch of the NAACP (Holmes, Walton, and Washington), and member of the Tivoli Historical Society, and member of the Democratic Black Caucus. During his 30+ years as a NAACP leader, he assisted with several cases including removal of the Confederate Flag and harassment cases of prejudice within the city. As a member of the Tivoli Historical Society, he spearheaded the re-opening of the Tivoli Gym for recreational use to the community. Additionally, he has led several GET OUT and VOTE campaigns and has volunteered at the polls during elections for over 25 years, ensuring that the people of DeFuniak have rides, candidate knowledge and freedom of choice each election. Amongst other community organizations, Raymond served on the District Advisory Council of Walton County School System, and The Concern Community Fathers. Among all his accomplishments, Raymond’s proudest moment is his time coaching local DeFuniak and Red Bay boy’s Sandlot Baseball. Of the men he mentored and coached, only 1 fell among not-so-favorable outcomes. https://bit.ly/MSD_BHMBannerProgram
