Booker T. Jones

1943 - 2019

Booker T. Jones

Jackson - Booker T. Jones, 76, died Saturday, July 27, 2019 in Jackson. The Marshall County native lived in Jackson for over 40 years and served as president and CEO of MINACT, INC. a national job training firm. Services will be held at New Hope Baptist Church, 5202 Watkins Drive with Visitation and Family Hour on Friday, August 2, 2019 from 5-7; viewing Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 12:30 p.m. with service at 2 p.m. Burial will take place Monday, August 5, 2019, West Tennessee Military Cemetery at 2 p.m.

Booker Taliaferro Jones, affectionately known as "B.T." was born on September 26, 1943, in Chulahoma (MarshallCounty), Mississippi to Irene Jones and Ellis Harper. His formative years were spent in Chulahoma with his maternal uncle and aunt, David and Maggie Jones, who instilled in him a strong work ethic and a tenacious outlook on life. He confessed his belief in Christ, was baptized and a member of Chulahoma Missionary Baptist Church. Later, B.T. joined his mother and siblings in Memphis and graduated from Hamilton High School in 1961. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1961 and served as a navigator on the aircraft carriers USS Oriskany and USS Kitty Hawk in the South China Sea during the Vietnam War. In 1966 he married H. Ann Jones of Magnolia, Mississippi and to this union were born daughters Irene Trezette and llene Telese.

Shortly after being honorably discharged from the US Navy, he received a degree in sociology from Indiana State University and began a storied career in Job Corps in 1966. He was employed at the Breckinridge Job Corps Center in Morganfield, Kentucky and in a short period of time advanced to Center Director at the first Job Corps Center in Mississippi at Crystal Springs in 1977. Jones decided to take a step further in trying to help make "the American Dream a Reality" by starting his own company, MINACT, Inc in 1978 - a management and training firm. Under his leadership, MINACT, Inc. has become the largest minority firm in the job training business, as well as one of the nation's largest Job Corps contractors. In addition to Job Corps contracts, MINACT, Inc. provides employer services to Nissan North America at its Canton, Mississippi facility through a subsidiary company, MINACT Logistical Services. MINACT, Inc. was recognized by the U. S. Department of Labor as the "Outstanding Minority Contractor of the Year" in 1989. In May 2007, Jones was honored for his significant contributions to the growth and development of business in the state of Mississippi by his induction into the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame.

B.T.'s genuine concern for others lead to involvement in civic and humanitarian efforts throughout the nation. He was a member of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, 100 Black Men of Jackson, and Jackson Chamber of Commerce. B.T's business acumen led to his service on numerous boards and committees, including National Job Corps Coalition, BancorpSouth Advisory, Deposit Guaranty Bank Advisory, Tougaloo College Board of Trustees, the Children's Health Forum, Mississippi Economic Council's Blueprint Mississippi, the Jackson Evers International Airport Authority. He was also actively engaged as a member of Beta Gamma Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, life member of the NAACP, and a member of New Hope Baptist Church.

Cherishing his memory and honoring his legacy are daughters, Irene T. Jones, Jackson, Mississippi, and llene Jones Fraser (Lionel III) and grandsons Lionel B. Fraser IV and Booker T. Jones Fraser of Shreveport, Louisiana; sisters Norcene Jones McDaniels, Chicago, Illinois. B.T.'s life touched and inspired many along his journey. His generous spirit and progressive ideas leave a lasting legacy for generations to come, for his living was definitely not in vain.