Lloyd Nash Pearson Jr, the oldest of seven children, was born to the late Lloyd Nash Pearson, Sr. and Ruth McGhee Pearson on November 02, 1921, in Jacksonville, Florida. He attended Old Stanton High School, Class of 1939 and attended Edward Waters College. He was married to the late Mildred Odessa Meriedy Pearson in August 1941. To this union were born six children, seventeen grandchildren and a host of great grandchildren. He worked in the postal system for 32 years before retiring.
He was an active member of Laura Street Presbyterian Church, until it moved to Woodlawn Road. Then changing its name to Woodlawn Presbyterian Church. For 52 years, he was an ordained elder while serving as Superintendent of the Sunday school, Sunday School Teacher, member of the Trustee Board and numerous other leadership capacities. In addition, he served as the first African American Moderator for the Senate of South Atlantic and attended multiple humanitarian efforts in Jamaica on behalf of the Presbytery.
Lloyd comes out of a strong background in the Civil Rights Struggle and the Jacksonville NAACP where he for many years chaired the voter registration drive in a community where Blacks were for all practical purposes denied access to the political process until the mid-1960s. He led the voter registration of some 65,000 African Americans in our community, and personally registered over 35,000 of those persons. He participated in many NAACP civil rights marches (including The March on Washington in 1963 and the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington in 2013).
Mr. Pearson was a community leader in the struggle to overcome the adversity of a segregated society. He walked in many picket lines in front of many institutions as he sought, in solidarity with others, to get rid of discriminatory employment practices in established Jacksonville businesses. As a key player in the struggle to integrate Jacksonville’s schools in the wake of the 1954 Supreme Court decision, he was an active parent and mentor with the Jacksonville Public School system, serving in official positions such as the Parent Teacher Association and Band Parents Organization.
In assessing the significance of his life, he underscores the critical need to have an informed public opinion and sees that as being critical to the life of our American Democracy. He challenged the contemporary African American community to understand the true value of the ballot. He viewed this as the best means to social empowerment and the advancement of our collective interests; to educate one another regarding our constitutional right to practice our civil liberties; and engage the political process whenever and wherever there is need to speak out against social injustice.
For 75 years he was a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers. He served as President of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees [NARFE]. On numerous occasions, he served as a delegate for the above organizations and continued to be active until his transition.
On December 17, 2023, Mr. Pearson peacefully passed away in Jacksonville, Florida. He was preceded in death by his wife, parents and oldest son Lloyd Nash Pearson III. He leaves to cherish his memory, one sister Lois Smokes, three daughters, Delores Pearson Baker (Robert), Barbara Jean Pearson McCreary (Richard), Mildred Louise [Lucy] Pearson and two sons, Alvin Kent Pearson (Renee), and Gregory Drew Pearson Sr., numerous grands, great grands, nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and caring friends.
Lloyd Nash Pearson Jr., also known as Daddy P, Letter Man, Strawberry and Civil, was a man of his word. AGAPE!!!
The Family suggests that those desiring make memorials in Mr. Pearson's memory to the Lloyd Nash Pearson, Jr. Scholarship Fund,
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