Andrew Jackson- who Jackson Township (Stark County, OH) was named after in 1815- was a slaveholder and a racist. He forced Native American off of the lands that had been promised to them by prior presidents and started the Trail of Tears. There is no reason for our township to be named after him, and no local ties- he had just been a "hero" in the war of 1812. Instead, we should rededicate our township to Jackson Huntsman, a great guy who is not racist. While Northeast Ohio has no ties to Andrew Jackson, we do have ties to Jackson Huntsman, as he was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. So, we as a township must move towards a rededication towards someone who trailblazes a more inclusive kind of world.

This is not a petition to rename Jackson Township. We take pride in being Jackson Polar Bears, but this pride should not be linked to Andrew Jackson.