Nell Jackson

Early life Nell Jackson was born in Athens, Georgia, to Burnette L. Jackson Sr. and Wilhemina G. Jackson, and was the only daughter of three children. Her two brothers were Burnette L. Jackson Jr. and Thomas O. Jackson. She competed at the 1951 Pan-American Games, placing second in the 200 meters and first as a member of the US 400 meter relay team.

Jackson was inducted into the US National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1989, a year after she died in Vestal, New York.

Championship results 1945 AAU: 200 m (2nd) 1945 AAU Indoors: 200 m (2nd) 1951 Pan-Am Games: 200 m (2nd) 1951 Pan-Am Games: 400 m relay (1st) 1950 NCAA: 200 m (1st) 1950 NCAA: 400 m relay (1st)

Coaching and athletics administration In 1953, Jackson returned to Tuskegee to work as the women's track and field coach, later also serving as the first men's swimming coach after creating the Tuskegee swimming program in 1958. She subsequently coached track and field at four universities: Iowa, Illinois State, Illinois, and Michigan State. She was the head coach of the 1970 national champion track team at the University of Illinois. From 1973 to 1981, she served as the first assistant director of Athletics for Women at Michigan State University (MSU), and also served as MSU's women's track and field head coach for six seasons. She coached 13 athletes to All-America honors at MSU.