BY LEON B. CREWS

Sentinel Staff Writer

Before Ms. Sarah Jackson Robinson passed in 2005, she wanted to make sure her family’s legacy, the Jackson House on Zack Street, would be preserved along with its rich history.

Her son, Willie Robinson, has worked diligently since his mother’s passing to first get the house registered as a historic structure, then legislate for funds to have it restored.

After lobbying with local elected officials and community leaders, Robinson said it appears the process will finally begin on restoring the Jackson House.

“I wish my mom was here to see this materialize. The house has so much history. People like James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Jackie Wilson, B. B. King, Bobby Bland and others either lived there or visited at one time or another.”

Robinson said the process has been long and tedious, but now he can see a starting point.

“It will begin this Saturday with a cleanup party. That will involve removing anything outside the house that shouldn’t be there or is dead, like a lot of the palm trees.”[private]

Bracken Engineering and their project engineer, Matthew Depin, will be in charge of the cleanup this weekend as well as restoration of the house.

Depin said he anticipates it will take 9 months to a year before the structural repairs begin, and at least 2 years before everything is done.

The cleanup will start at 9 a. m. at the Jackson House, 851 Zack Street, just west of Nebraska Avenue. [/private]