Born July 1, 1929, Athens, Georgia. Died April 1, 1988.

One of the pioneers in women's track and field, Nell Jackson served the sport as an athlete, coach and administrator. At the time of her death, she was serving as TAC's secretary and had previously been a TAC vice president.

While a student at Tuskegee Institute (where she was coached by Hall of Famer Cleve Abbott), she was a member of the 1948 Olympic team and also competed in the first Pan American Games in 1951, taking second in the 200 meters and running on the winning sprint relay team. A former American record holder in the 200, Jackson later became a coach at Tuskegee, Illinois State, Illinois and Michigan State. She was the U.S. Olympic women's head coach in 1956 and 1972 and was the first African American to be named head coach of a U.S. Olympic team. Administratively, she served many organizations, including the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Amateur Athletic Federation, as well as being an officer of The Athletics Congress (forerunner of USA Track & Field) since 1979. A renowned scholar, she conducted more than 50 workshops and clinics in track and field and was director of physical education at the State University of New York in Binghamton.