Jack Washington, a teacher of 43 years in Trenton high school, died this past April (Foster). He was 67 and died from complications of two different strokes over the past five years of his life. He taught African American history and culture in the Trenton district.

He was born in South Carolina and raised in New Jersey, where he then went to Newark and East Orange schools. He went on to apply and attend Fayetteville State University a historically black college (Foster). For a long time, Washington lived homeless as a result of a fallout with his father (Foster).  He had lived in a YMCA of Trenton where he referred to the room he lived in as a “closet” (Foster). He began teaching to inspire children and develop the future generation, and he wanted to show the students that their circumstances were not there to hold them back but to guide them in the right direction (Foster).

Outside of teaching, he was a member of the Trenton Chapter of the NAACP and Urban League Union County-Trenton Guild (Washington Family Obituary). He also heavily supported former mayor Tony Mack and helped advise him from a supporter’s position even giving him a loan (Foster). Despite the convictions against Mack Washington did not waver in his determination and did his best to keep Trenton at its best (Foster).

Washington was an avid written and had written five books on African American history before he died he was working on three separate books. One of his unfinished books “Farewell to the Black Man” will be finished by his daughter Dawne (Foster). That book will be part of his legacy as is his long-serving legacy in the Trenton school district and his many other advents throughout his life.

Foster, David, 4/28/17, Longtime Trenton teacher, historian Jack Washington dies

         http://dev.ncs.trentonian.com/general-news/20170428/longtime-trenton-teacher-historian-jack-  washington-dies

Washington, Family, 4/16/17, Dr. Jack Washington

          https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/trentonian/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=185103441