County’s first known Black homesteader inspires a play
When Shakur Jackson was in the third grade, he read an Octavia Spencer mystery: “Randi Rhodes: Ninja Detective.” From that moment, he was determined to become a writer.
He checked out awardwinning library books — thrillers, whodunits, horror tales, action adventures — studied writing styles, then incorporated them into his own prose.
The result? Next week, Jackson, now 18, is orchestrating the world premiere of a play, “The Legend of Nathan Harrison,” that he wrote, co-directed, and produced. He also stars in the 75-minute production.
It brings to life Nathan Harrison, the first known Black homesteader in San Diego County. Harrison died in 1920 after spending his final years in a cabin he built halfway up Palomar Mountain.
For years, San Diego State professor Seth Mallios and his archaeology students scoured Harrison’s home site and assembled clues piecing together details of the life of the freed ex-slave from Kentucky. Their research and findings were summarized in Mallios’ book on Harrison: “Born a Slave, Died a Pioneer.”
Enter Shakur, an “athlete of the year” in basketball and a track standout at Hoover High, where he is a senior. As a member of the Aaron Price Fellows program, he visited the San Diego History Center, where its exhibition on Harrison captivated him.
He persuaded Bill Lawrence, head of the museum, to unlock the gift shop so he could get a copy of the book.
About a year after the visit, Shakur casually announced one day that he had written a play about Harrison and planned to produce it.
“He translated the book and brought it to a new audience with a new perspective,” says Annie Lyles, executive director of the Aaron Price Fellows. The program guides a select group of diverse high school students on a three-year journey toward becoming responsible, engaged citizens.
The history got out of the museum and the dig came to life. Now there’s a new historical figure in San Diego for young people to think back