Savannah Mayor Edna Branch Jackson will deliver the keynote speech Feb. 24 at Pleasant Grove AME Church as part of an annual African-American history celebration.  
The service will begin at 10 a.m. at 1450 W. Oglethorpe Highway in Hinesville.
Jackson is the 65th mayor of Savannah and the first African-American woman to hold the position. Prior to her election in 2011, Jackson served three terms as a Savannah City Council alderman-at-large and two terms as mayor pro tem.  
“The title ‘first’ can be inspirational and motivational to others seeking to rise in their perspective civic and career choices; however, the title alone is not enough. It’s the work that counts,” said Liberty County Board of Commission Chairman Donald Lovette, who is one of the event’s organizers.  “That is inspirational in itself.”  
Jackson, who Lovette said was elected by a diverse group of voters, joined the NAACP Youth Council in Savannah at age 9.  He added that Jackson, a protégé of the late W.W. Law and Eugene Gadsden, participated in sit-ins at downtown Savannah businesses, wade-ins at Tybee Beach, and kneel-ins at various local churches. She also helped conduct voter-registration drives and participated in demonstrations throughout the South, including the 1963 March on Washington and the 1965 March from Selma to Montgomery.  
“Mayor Jackson represents American history, and we have another grand opportunity to inspire and motivate our youth,” said Judge John Morse Jr., who serves as pastor of the church.
For more information, call 368-7550 or 368-4104.