Watermill Resident Praised for His Commitment to Justice
(Long Island, NY) The memorial for the late NYS Supreme Court Judge Bernard Hampton Jackson of Watermill and New York City at the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, Friday April 26 was an afternoon service filled with love and laughter befitting this successful son of Harlem who helped pave the way for many African Americans in law enforcement and jurisprudence.
Judge Jackson passed away on January 17, 2013 at New York Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Medical Center following a long illness. He was 86 years old.
 NYS Supreme Court Judge Bernard Hampton Jackson of Watermill and New York City |
The venerable church was filled with New York’s power-players, friends of many decades, many of them who spoke emotionally and with great humor about Bernie who loved a good party and a good joke. Among the speakers were Basil Paterson, a longtime political leader in New York and Harlem and father of the 55th Governor of New York, David Paterson. Congressman Charles Rangel, the Honorable David N. Dinkins, New York & Hamptons realtor Stephen Wald, family friend Keith Murray, fashion guru Audrey Smaltz, O. T. Wells, Livingston Francis, Dean of The Reveille Club, Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts who officiated and representatives from the many philanthropic organizations of which he was a prominent member including 100 Black Men which he helped co-found and has now grown to 18,000 members internationally with chapters all around the world. His son Bernard H, Jackson III with sister Linda Jackson by his side spoke movingly about their father. Fitfully for Judge Jackson, a big classical music fan, Metropolitan Opera star Eric Owens performed “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” and “This is Always”.
A longtime summer resident of Watermill, Judge Jackson was one of the most respected figures in law enforcement. Born October 26, 1926 and raised in Harlem, he began his career as a police officer rising quickly up the ranks while attending Brooklyn Law School at night with his long-time friend David N. Dinkins who would later go on to be Mayor of New York. Bernie as he was known rose to the rank of Detective before becoming Assistant United States Attorney working with Robert F. Kennedy.
From there he went on to work with his law school buddy David N. Dinkins and became managing partner of Dyett, Alexander & Dinkins. He was later appointed the first black Executive Director of the NYC Police Department Civilian Complaint Review Board.
In 1968, he became one of only two black executives at the National Football League.. He was named as special counsel to Commissioner Pete Rozzele. Shifting back to public service, Jackson was named Regional Representative to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Jimmy Carter. Special Assistant to Governor Hugh Carey for Urban Affairs and went on to become a Regional Representative to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Jimmy Carter.
In 1981, he and his wife Hazel divorced and he later wed Thelma “Fuji” Ferguson and had a son Miles. During this time, he was appointed to the Criminal Court in New york and was later elected Justice of the New York Stat Supreme Court. In 1990 after the unexpected death of his wife, he left the bench to become Of Counsel to international law firm of White & Case and as later named Chairman of the New York City Civil Service Commission.
In 1990 he met Joyce Mullins who has a son Brandon and in 1997 they were married. They lived in Manhattan and Watermill where he enjoyed the summer sunsets the company of his many friends.
He was a Founding Member of 100 Black Men and participated in various civic and professional organizations including Manhattan Chapter of the Guardsmen, Zeta Boule, The Reveille Club of New york and Kappa Alpha Phi Fraternity. Jackson along with his wife Joyce was an ardent supporter of numerous charitable organizations including Big Brothers, Big Sisters of New York, Glimmerglass Opera Festival (of which his daughter Linda is Managing Director), the Parrish Art Museum and Evidence, A Dance Company for whom he and Joyce hosted several of their annual On Our Toes in the Hamptons Galas at their Watermill home.
Judge Jackson is survived by his wife Joyce Mullins Jackson, her son Brandon and her grandchildren Jalen and Asha Mullins, his daughter Linda and his son Bernard with his daughter- in-law Kerri Jackson.
