WHM: Jackie Love Still a Presence At 82
Photo courtesy of Jackie Love.
BY CLYDE HUGHES | AC JosepH Media
JERICO, DEPTFORD TOWNSHIP — Trailblazing Black politico Jacquelyn “Jackie” Love may be retired, but that doesn’t mean she’s not engaged and interested in what is going on around her.
In her 80s, Love forged her name into history as the first Black woman to serve as deputy mayor of Deptford Township and possibly all of Gloucester County in the 1980s. She was an enthusiastic supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris’s run for the presidency last year.
Her son, Wayne Love, is continuing her legacy on Deptford Township council as an elected representative.
“I’m enjoying retirement,” Love recently told Front Runner New Jersey. “With that comes the age increase. You know, now I’m 82. God is good. I’m obviously involved in my church that means a lot to me, and this ill-fated [presidential] election, I was very much a part of that. We’ll see what the Lord has in store next.”
She worked in state government for 28 years and spent 20 years on Deptford council, 14 of those as deputy mayor.
Born in Philadelphia but has lived in Deptford since 10. Grandmother taught her a strong work ethic. She earned GED, associate’s from Camden County College and took classes at Glassboro State, which is now Rowan University, and Rutgers University.
Early in her career, she traveled the country advocating for the Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America under its founder of the OIC. Her performance led to other opportunities, like the assistant planner and coordinator of Gloucester County’s Comprehensive Employment and Training Act program, and the Section 504 coordinator ensuring access for people with disabilities.
Love helped develop guidelines for New Jersey’s first Office for Disabilities and became the first director of the statewide office, now known as the NJ Division of Disability Services.
“A lot of things occurred that had been very much a part of helping the county become accessible at a time when it wasn’t popular to be accessible to people with disabilities,” Love said. “I came up with the first plan to make sure the entire county recognized that we had to change.
“We started dealing with providing curb cuts and all kinds of things. We wanted to start making sure that we were accessible. That’s a highlight of my life.”
In 1989, Love was encouraged by the local Democratic Party to run for Deptford Township Council and ended up winning the most votes out of nine candidates in her first campaign. That kicked off her run over two decades in local politics.
Through the years, Love remained passionate about her church, Mount Zion Wesley United Methodist Church, where she led the church’s governing group.
She had long been active in the Gloucester County Minority Council, the Gloucester County NAACP, along with serving as a commissioner of the Delaware River Port Authority.
One of the things she said she was most proud of was having a park named after her in Deptford. She said it warmed her heart to see the future of Deptford playing at a playground named in her honor.
She said it was also gratifying that the effort to name the park was led by her son Wayne Love.
“That really means a lot to me,” Love said. “You know, I never thought it would. I never wanted that kind of attention but looking at it now, it’s wonderful.
“It’s nice to have a park named after you and to see the children really playing and utilizing it. To see the future politicians and others out there playing and getting involved is another highlight of my life.”
Love still lives at her home in Jericho, where she and her husband raised two children and now host grandchildren and family outings.
“I like living in Jericho,” Love said with a laugh. “It’s one of the older parts of the county. I just love it here.”
Love said while she is still enjoying retirement, she plans to make her voice heard whenever it is necessary and to make sure other voices are heard as well.
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