All of us at the Center for Human Rights are saddened to learn of Helen Jackson’s recent passing on February 24, 2018. Helen was known for her kindness, generosity, and commitment to public service, and her dedication to human rights helped give lead to the founding of our Center. In 2008, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation endowed the Helen H. Jackson Chair in Human Rights at the University of Washington, an extraordinary gift which sparked enthusiasm for the creation of a new Center for Human Rights at UW. In 2009, with bipartisan support, the Washington State legislature passed a bill to establish our Center, naming the Helen Jackson Chair its director. We’ve grown by leaps and bounds since then, but consider Helen’s lifelong commitment to public engagement for human rights core to our mission. We are honored to uphold this dimension of her legacy.
Click here for a tribute to Helen Jackson in the Everett Herald.
Additionally, the Washington State Senate unanimously passed Resolution 8729 about Helen on March 3, 2018. A recording of this event can be found at this link (beginning at 17:51).