Troy Jackson

Troy Jackson is Director of the Ohio Prophetic Voices campaign, an initiative to gather more than 500 clergy in Ohio to organize for racial and economic justice.

Troy has been involved in community organizing for four years—first as a volunteer leader and then as a faith organizer in Cincinnati and throughout Ohio. He has been actively involved in calling for comprehensive immigration reform and the Dream Act, and recently finished serving as faith outreach director for the highly successful We Are Ohio campaign that led to the repeal of Ohio Senate Bill 5 by a 61-39 margin. 

In addition to his organizing work, Troy formerly served as senior pastor of University Christian Church (UCC) in Cincinnati, Ohio for 19 years. UCC is a part of the Christian Community Development Association, a network of churches and organizations working to reshape urban neighborhoods. Under Troy’s leadership, UCC established Rohs Street Café, a seven-day-a-week community coffee shop committed to community engagement, the arts, and social justice.

Troy is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in U.S. history from the University of Kentucky. Troy’s book Becoming King: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Making of a National Leader (The University Press of Kentucky, 2008) explores the critical role the grassroots Montgomery Movement played in the development of Dr. King. His other publications include his work as an editor on The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr. Volume VI: Advocate of the Social Gospel (September 1948-March 1963) (University of California Press, 2007). He is also a regular blogger on the God’s Politics blog. Troy lives in Cincinnati with his wife Amanda and their three children Jacob, Emma, and Ellie.