Ruth Marion Jackson, Jr. emerged from one of Chicago’s most accomplished Black educational families and built a career at the intersection of psychology, social work, and higher education. In 1927, she was awarded the Beta Scholarship Fund. She graduated from the University of Chicago in 1930, where she distinguished herself not only as a scholar but also as an athlete, winning basketball numerals and playing on the senior college team.

By 1935, Ruth had earned her Master of Arts degree from the University of Chicago and was appointed a full-time instructor in social work at Howard University’s Graduate School of Sociology, under the direction of Dr. E. Franklin Frazier. Her early focus on the medical and social-service dimensions of community care reflected a pioneering commitment to addressing both educational and psychological needs.

In 1941, Ruth returned to Chicago, where she served as a social worker and assistant psychologist on Dr. Albert S. Beckham’s trailblazing team at DuSable High School’s Psychological Center. She later pursued a career in social work in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, carrying forward the Jackson family’s tradition of civic leadership and academic excellence.

Affiliated Chapters: Beta 

Affiliated Members: Ruth Jackson Sr, Dorothy Jackson Newsom, Margaret Jackson Gross