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Dr. Sullivan, Richie Jean Sherrod, Jawana Jackson and their Historic Home
June 16, 2026
Written by Justun Dorsey, Education and Outreach Coordinator
The Jackson Family. From left to right: Richie Jean, Sullivan, Jawana.
The Civil Rights Era saw many prominent figures with two of the most notable being Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King. However, no fight can be done alone, and people must come together along the way. One family who stepped up for the Kings was the Jackson Family. Richie Jean, Sullivan, and their daughter, Jawana Jackson offered room in their home as a place to stay for Dr. King, along with several other important individuals. Before they became known for their association with Dr. King, many already knew them for their humanitarian attributes.
As avid Civil Rights activists, they were involved in the movement in multiple ways. In December 1958, Sullivan was called upon to testify at a hearing on voting discrimination in Selma, Alabama. Despite having served in the military and having a prestigious career, Sullivan was denied the right to vote solely on the premise of being Black. Calling out the hypocrisy, in his testimony he stated, “I am an American citizen. I believe I have the right to vote. I have fought for my country. I believe in the principles in it, and I don’t see any reason why I should have to run back and forth to register.”
The Jackson Family Legacy
After Sullivan passed away in 2004, Richie Jean continued living in the home with Jawana. In 2011, she published a book about the family’s lives in the home over the years, titled The House by the Side of the Road: The Selma Civil Rights Movement. After Richie Jean’s passing in 2013, Jawana inherited the home and opened it up as a museum in 2014.
In 2023, The Henry Ford Museum acquired the historic house and it now stands at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Located in the Greenfield Village portion, it is the museum’s first new historic structure added in more than 40 years. The home includes an attached exhibit showcasing information on the Jacksons, their relationship with Coretta and Martin, and important landmark events that took place during the Civil Rights Era. It opened to the general public on June 12th, 2026.
The Jackson Family
On January 21, 1921, Sullivan Martin, who later went by Sullivan Jackson after being raised by a sibling, was born. Originally from Dallas County, Alabama, he grew up in Anderson, Indiana, and was involved in school clubs and band.
During World War II, while studying chemistry at West Virginia State University, Sullivan enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the 588th Ambulance Company from 1943-1946 in which he was responsible for frontline medical evacuation. Upon his return, he went back to school to finish his undergraduate studies and earned his degree in Dentistry at the Meharry Medical College in 1952. He played tenor saxophone in a group called The Doctors of Rhythm along the Chitlin’ Circuit in both the North and South to cover his college tuition, along with aid from the GI Bill.
He met his wife, Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson, the following year. Coming from a family who ensured she received the best education possible for her at the time, she graduated from Alabama State University in 1954 with a B.S. degree in Secondary Education. They wed in 1958, moved into the infamous home, and eventually had their child, Jawana Virginia Jackson, in 1960.
Due to Sullivan’s career, he was able to continue his dental practice, where he stayed for 42 years. However, he still faced backlash, including losing access to a contract with the city of Selma providing dental services to prisoners. Unfortunately, Richie Jean lost her job with the Selma Housing Authority. She worked as a stay-at-home mother for several years before she was able to get a position as a teacher for the Selma City School District in 1966.
A Time for Change
Richie Jean and Coretta Scott King had been childhood friends, which enhanced the couple’s friendship with her husband, Martin, who became known as “Uncle Martin” to Jawana. They welcomed the Kings into their home starting in the late 1950s through the early 1960s when Dr. King began his first pastorship at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Later on, their house acted as a place of refuge, rest, and planning grounds for Dr. King and others participating in the Selma to Montgomery marches.
One of the original pieces of furniture in the home is a yellow armchair where Dr. King sat and listened to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1965 speech addressing events happening in Selma after Bloody Sunday. This was a major turning point in the Movement, signaling the Voting Rights Act that passed later that year.
First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Photo Courtesy of The Henry Ford Museum
Second, Third, and Eighth Photo Courtesy of Justun Dorsey
Chenault, K. (2025, June 6). Dr. Sullivan Jackson: Saxophonist. The Henry Ford. https://www.thehenryford.org/collections/explore/articles/detail/articles/2025/06/20/dr sullivan-jackson–saxophonist
Historic Jackson Home finds a new home at the Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village. Detroit PBS.(2025, May 13). https://www.detroitpbs.org/news-media/american-black-journal/historic-jackson-home-finds-new-home-at-the-henry-fords-greenfield-village/
Hobbs, E. (2026, May 20). A historic home from Alabama is becoming a museum in Dearborn. AOL.com. https://www.aol.com/articles/historic-home-alabama-becoming-museum-030029575.html
The Jackson Home. The Henry Ford. https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/venues/greenfield-village/porches-parlors/the-jackson-home
Move To Greenfield Village. The Henry Ford. https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/venues/greenfield-village/porches-parlors/the-jackson-home/move-to-greenfield-village
Obenson, T. A. (2014, June 4). Niecy Nash signs up to play Richie Jean Jackson in Ava DuVernay’s “Selma” – imdb. Wayback Machine. https://m.imdb.com/news/ni57248979/
Ogden, A. (2024, July 31). The Jackson House: The Henry Ford Presents “From Selma to Detroit” with Celebration, Site Dedication and Panel Discussion on August 8. Michigan Chronicle. https://michiganchronicle.com/the-jackson-house-the-henry-ford-presents-from-selma-to-detroit-with-celebration-site-dedication-and-panel-discussion-on-august-8/
Press, T. A. (2025, August 11). Michigan museum preserves Civil Rights Movement artifacts amid federal efforts to downplay Black history. Outlier Media. https://outliermedia.org/jackson-home-dearborn-civil-rights/
Sullivan and Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson Museum. Alabama African-American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium. (n.d.). https://aaacrhsc.org/sullivan-and-richie-jean-sherrod-jackson-museum/
Tish, K. von. (2025, January 6). Quinn Evans Helping Relocate Historic Jackson Home to the Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village. Quinn Evans. https://www.quinnevans.com/news/quinn-evans-helping-relocate-historic-jackson-house-to-the-henry-fords-greenfield-village
Wikimedia Foundation. (2026, May 19). Richie Jean Jackson. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richie_Jean_Jackson#HeroSection
Written by Justun Dorsey, Education and Outreach Coordinator
The Jackson Family. From left to right: Richie Jean, Sullivan, Jawana.
The Civil Rights Era saw many prominent figures with two of the most notable being Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King. However, no fight can be done alone, and people must come together along the way. One family who stepped up for the Kings was the Jackson Family. Richie Jean, Sullivan, and their daughter, Jawana Jackson offered room in their home as a place to stay for Dr. King, along with several other important individuals. Before they became known for their association with Dr. King, many already knew them for their humanitarian attributes.
The Jackson Family
On January 21, 1921, Sullivan Martin, who later went by Sullivan Jackson after being raised by a sibling, was born. Originally from Dallas County, Alabama, he grew up in Anderson, Indiana, and was involved in school clubs and band.
During World War II, while studying chemistry at West Virginia State University, Sullivan enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the 588th Ambulance Company from 1943-1946 in which he was responsible for frontline medical evacuation. Upon his return, he went back to school to finish his undergraduate studies and earned his degree in Dentistry at the Meharry Medical College in 1952. He played tenor saxophone in a group called The Doctors of Rhythm along the Chitlin’ Circuit in both the North and South to cover his college tuition, along with aid from the GI Bill.
He met his wife, Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson, the following year. Coming from a family who ensured she received the best education possible for her at the time, she graduated from Alabama State University in 1954 with a B.S. degree in Secondary Education. They wed in 1958, moved into the infamous home, and eventually had their child, Jawana Virginia Jackson, in 1960.
As avid Civil Rights activists, they were involved in the movement in multiple ways. In December 1958, Sullivan was called upon to testify at a hearing on voting discrimination in Selma, Alabama. Despite having served in the military and having a prestigious career, Sullivan was denied the right to vote solely on the premise of being Black. Calling out the hypocrisy, in his testimony he stated, “I am an American citizen. I believe I have the right to vote. I have fought for my country. I believe in the principles in it, and I don’t see any reason why I should have to run back and forth to register.”
Due to Sullivan’s career, he was able to continue his dental practice, where he stayed for 42 years. However, he still faced backlash, including losing access to a contract with the city of Selma providing dental services to prisoners. Unfortunately, Richie Jean lost her job with the Selma Housing Authority. She worked as a stay-at-home mother for several years before she was able to get a position as a teacher for the Selma City School District in 1966.
A Time for Change
Richie Jean and Coretta Scott King had been childhood friends, which enhanced the couple’s friendship with her husband, Martin, who became known as “Uncle Martin” to Jawana. They welcomed the Kings into their home starting in the late 1950s through the early 1960s when Dr. King began his first pastorship at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Later on, their house acted as a place of refuge, rest, and planning grounds for Dr. King and others participating in the Selma to Montgomery marches.
One of the original pieces of furniture in the home is a yellow armchair where Dr. King sat and listened to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1965 speech addressing events happening in Selma after Bloody Sunday. This was a major turning point in the Movement, signaling the Voting Rights Act that passed later that year.
The Jackson Family Legacy
After Sullivan passed away in 2004, Richie Jean continued living in the home with Jawana. In 2011, she published a book about the family’s lives in the home over the years, titled The House by the Side of the Road: The Selma Civil Rights Movement. After Richie Jean’s passing in 2013, Jawana inherited the home and opened it up as a museum in 2014.
In 2023, The Henry Ford Museum acquired the historic house and it now stands at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Located in the Greenfield Village portion, it is the museum’s first new historic structure added in more than 40 years. The home includes an attached exhibit showcasing information on the Jacksons, their relationship with Coretta and Martin, and important landmark events that took place during the Civil Rights Era. It opened to the general public on June 12th, 2026.
The Jackson home as it appeared in Selma, Alabama.
The Jackson home as it appears at The Henry Ford Museum in Greenfield Village.
First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Photo Courtesy of The Henry Ford Museum
Second, Third, and Eighth Photo Courtesy of Justun Dorsey
Chenault, K. (2025, June 6). Dr. Sullivan Jackson: Saxophonist. The Henry Ford. https://www.thehenryford.org/collections/explore/articles/detail/articles/2025/06/20/dr sullivan-jackson–saxophonist
Historic Jackson Home finds a new home at the Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village. Detroit PBS.(2025, May 13). https://www.detroitpbs.org/news-media/american-black-journal/historic-jackson-home-finds-new-home-at-the-henry-fords-greenfield-village/
Hobbs, E. (2026, May 20). A historic home from Alabama is becoming a museum in Dearborn. AOL.com. https://www.aol.com/articles/historic-home-alabama-becoming-museum-030029575.html
The Jackson Home. The Henry Ford. https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/venues/greenfield-village/porches-parlors/the-jackson-home
Move To Greenfield Village. The Henry Ford. https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/venues/greenfield-village/porches-parlors/the-jackson-home/move-to-greenfield-village
Obenson, T. A. (2014, June 4). Niecy Nash signs up to play Richie Jean Jackson in Ava DuVernay’s “Selma” – imdb. Wayback Machine. https://m.imdb.com/news/ni57248979/
Ogden, A. (2024, July 31). The Jackson House: The Henry Ford Presents “From Selma to Detroit” with Celebration, Site Dedication and Panel Discussion on August 8. Michigan Chronicle. https://michiganchronicle.com/the-jackson-house-the-henry-ford-presents-from-selma-to-detroit-with-celebration-site-dedication-and-panel-discussion-on-august-8/
Press, T. A. (2025, August 11). Michigan museum preserves Civil Rights Movement artifacts amid federal efforts to downplay Black history. Outlier Media. https://outliermedia.org/jackson-home-dearborn-civil-rights/
Sullivan and Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson Museum. Alabama African-American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium. (n.d.). https://aaacrhsc.org/sullivan-and-richie-jean-sherrod-jackson-museum/
Tish, K. von. (2025, January 6). Quinn Evans Helping Relocate Historic Jackson Home to the Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village. Quinn Evans. https://www.quinnevans.com/news/quinn-evans-helping-relocate-historic-jackson-house-to-the-henry-fords-greenfield-village
Wikimedia Foundation. (2026, May 19). Richie Jean Jackson. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richie_Jean_Jackson#HeroSection
