Rebecca Cox Jackson

Rebecca Cox Jackson (February 15, 1795 – May 24, 1871) was a free Black woman, known for her religious feminism and activism and her writing. Her autobiography was published in 1981 as Gifts of Power: The Writings of Rebecca Cox Jackson, Black Visionary, Shaker Eldress, edited by Jean McMahon Humez.

Jackson worked as a seamstress and cared for her brother's children until her religious awakening in 1830. She wrote that after this awakening, she received divine gifts including healing people, seeing the future, having visions, control over the weather, hearing God's voice, acting as a medium, and learning to read spontaneously. Jackson worked as an itinerant preacher before joining the Shaker movement, which shared her values of egalitarianism and celibacy.

In 1859, Jackson and her protégé and lifelong companion Rebecca Perot founded a Shaker community of Black women in Philadelphia. Jackson's relationship with Perot, which lasted for 35 years until Jackson's death in 1871, has been called "perhaps the most controversial element of Jackson's autobiography".

Early life Rebecca Cox was born on February 15, 1795, in Horntown, Delaware County, Pennsylvania into a free family. According to autobiographical information, her mother's name was Jane Cox. Her father likely died shortly after her birth. Cox lived with her grandmother for a few years before moving back with her mother and stepfather. By the time she was ten, Cox was living in Philadelphia. She cared for her younger siblings, which may have led to her not having the time to learn to read and write.

After her mother's death, Jackson lived with her widowed brother Joseph Cox, a tanner and elder in the Bethel A.M. E. Church eighteen years older than her. American Methodist Episcopal bishop Morris Brown went to a meeting she spoke at to stop her, but, after listening to her speak, said, "If ever the Holy Ghost was in any place, it was in that meeting. Let her alone now." Jackson shared many of the same values that the Shakers did, but according to Walker, most important to Jackson was that "they believed in celibacy; the only religious group she ever heard of that did". She became a minister in that community. However, the community wanted her to make a pledge to a white Eldress named Mother Paulina Bates in order to be considered a "full member." While Jackson's refusal could be understood through a racial lens, Laurel Bollinger notes, "Jackson does not consider her refusal to submit to the white woman in this way; her relation to God takes priority over any other element in her life." While her frustrations were due to the broader Shaker system, they focused on Bates. In 1850, Jackson's call to minister to Black Americans led to further tensions with Shaker leadership. Jackson and Perot left Watervliet in July, 1851, moving to Philadelphia to try to start a mission. Eldress Paulina claimed that it was the wish of Mother Ann that Jackson return to Philadelphia to start a mission. Jackson is also a subject of Smith's works Pilgrim (2017) thumb Undated photograph of Rebecca Perot, Rebecca Cox Jackson's partner of 35 years. No known image of Jackson exists.

Relationship with Rebecca Perot Shortly after the end of Jackson's marriage to Samuel S. Jackson and her separation from her brother Joseph Cox, she met her lifelong companion Rebecca Perot. They lived together for over thirty-one years. The pair lived together in the South Family Dwelling House at Watervliet. It is not clear whether their relationship was romantic or not, since Jackson followed the Shaker practice of celibacy, but as Laurel Bollinger in her article on maternity and authority explained, "Jackson's relationship with Perot has been perhaps the most controversial element of Jackson's autobiography". Alice Walker stated that "These two women lived together, ate together, travelled together, prayed together and slept together until the end of Jackson's life some thirty-odd years after they met".

Works Gifts of Power: The Writings of Rebecca Jackson, Black Visionary, Shaker Eldress edited with an introduction by Jean McMahom Humez. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 1981. .