Kern Jackson

Kern Jackson is an Associate Professor in the English Department at the University of South Alabama and serves as Director of the African American Studies Program. His research focuses on African American and Southeastern U.S. folklore, oral narratives, and cultural history.

He co-wrote and co-produced the documentary Descendant (2022), which examines the legacy of the Clotilda—the last known slave ship to arrive illegally in the U.S.—and its descendants in Africatown, Alabama. The film won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Creative Vision at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.

• Affiliations: English Department, African American Studies Program
• Contact: KEMjacks@southalabama.edu | Office: HUMB 276

His work bridges historical inquiry with contemporary cultural preservation, emphasizing marginalized voices and communal narratives.