Juvenile Justice Center dedicated to former Macon judge

A building dedication was held Thursday for a civil rights activist who became Macon’s first black judge.

The ceremony at the Thomas Jackson Juvenile Justice Center featured the unveiling of a portrait of Jackson, who played a key role in the integration of Bibb County schools. He was described Thursday as a regional advocate for justice for his fairness and fight for equality in Middle Georgia.

Jackson was concerned about minorities being discriminated against when he graduated from Howard University Law School at a time when many of them had trouble getting legal representation in Middle Georgia, said Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Bert Bivins.

“He could’ve went lots of places and made a lot of money, but he decided to stay here,” Bivins said.

Jackson also used his legal expertise to help integrate Bibb County schools and other public facilities around Middle Georgia.

“Thomas Jackson was a civil rights activist and champion of equality,” Bivins said.

Also recognized Thursday was the family of Peter Harris for the sale of the Oglethorpe Street property where the juvenile justice center is located.

The $7 million facility opened in August 2014. It was paid for with money from the special purpose local options sales tax, and it houses Juvenile Court and several other agencies.

Mayor Robert Reichert credited the former Bibb County Commission for making the juvenile justice center one of the SPLOST projects in 2011.

“This facility will be one we can all be proud of as citizens of Macon-Bibb County,” he said.

To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623 or visit him on Twitter@stan_telegraph.

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Juvenile Justice Center dedicated to former Macon judge ."