The Indianapolis Recorder would like to recognize the life and work of activist and trailblazer Reginald Jones Sr.
The legacy and advocacy of Jones dates back as far as the 1960s. Jones was the first African-American lifeguard to integrate swimming in 1960.
Notably, Jones spent his life guarding the rights and liberties of African-Americans everywhere.
For nearly six decades, Jones, affectionately known as Reggie, paved the way for African-Americans in spaces once not offered to them.
Jones became the first African-American vendor operating out of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
He was the first Black Director of the Indianapolis Skill Center, a federally funded institution.
During the 1990s, Jones became the first male Parent Teacher Association (PTA) President at Azalea Middle School in Mobile, Alabama.
Jones was appointed to the Race Relations Task Force under Mayors Barton and Lugar. He was also on the board of directors for the Urban League, NAACP, and Indiana University.
He received many awards over the years including the Lucius Newsom Community Legacy Award from Mayor Hogsett, the Ford Foundation Unsung Hero Award and the Community Award and Trailblazer Awards from Martin University.
Moreover, June 7 is Reginald L. Jones Sr. Day, as proclaimed by Hogsett last year.
In honor of Jones’ dedication to advocacy and civic engagement, his daughter Tasha Jones will be a contributing writer to the Indianapolis Recorder through the Reginald L. Jones Fellowship exploring The Black Experience. The fellowship will reflect Jones’ lifetime commitment to equity, education and uplifting the community.
Celebrate the legacy of Reginald L. Jones Sr. by breaking down a barrier today.
Contact multi-media staff writer Noral Parham III at (317)-762-7846 or e-mail NoralP@IndyRecorder.com. Follow him on Twitter @NoralParham.
