Jesse Lee Jackson was born on January 20, 1917, in Tennessee Colony, Texas, and moved with his family to Chanute at the age of 5. He graduated from Chanute High School and attended Chanute Junior College. He served the community as a city commissioner for 12 years, including two terms as mayor, and was involved with the Community Corrections Committee, the Area Agency on Aging, the Regional Planning Commission as chairman, the Alliance of Churches Christian League as president, the Chanute United Way, the Human Relations Board and Adult Fellowship of Christian Athletes as chairman, the White House Conference on Aging in Washington, DC, the Board of New Hope Baptist Church as a trustee, the Vashti Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star of the Blue Eagle Masonic Lodge as a patron, and the Chanute Area Chamber of Commerce as a member.