Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport

Turning the Dirt for Frederick Douglas

Frederick Douglass Monument and Memorial Plaza

Rochester’s monument to Frederick Douglass was the first in the country to honor an African American. Reverend Jackson will introduce a locally produced short film that tells the story of the monument and his vision to honor Douglass by relocating and illuminating the monument in its new location at Highland Park, and his efforts to rename the Rochester International Airport after Douglass. Additional discussion,
along with a question-and-answer session, will follow.

The Reverend Julius David Jackson, Jr. (known as JD) is the pastor of the United Church of Pittsford. Besides his numerous awards for his fraternal and civic work, he has served on boards of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Greater Rochester Commission, Big Brother Big Sisters, the School of the Arts (SOTA), and AIDs Community Health Center. He is a graduate of RIT and holds a master’s degree in Divinity from Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School.

Reverend Julius David Jackson, Jr.

Life within the Boundaries of our Airport (Oct. 2021)

“Stranger Than Fiction”

Life within the Boundaries of Our Airport (Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport) with Rick Iekel.

A community’s airport is a somewhat curious combination of feel-good moments and trying times. It’s the beginning of a long trip or the first “Hello” to an arriving visitor. While the experienced business person can zip through without needing anyone’s support, to the occasional traveler, the experience can be confusing and even threatening. Often, when the traveling is done, the experience generates family stories for years to come.

Join Rick Iekel as he tells the fascinating story of life within its boundaries, from an insider’s point of view.

Rick Iekel spent 28 years working at Rochester’s airport. He started his career in 1965 as a customer service agent for United Airlines, was hired by Monroe County as the Assistant Airport Manager in 1973, and took over the reins as Airport Manager from Sam Cooper when Sam retired in 1989. Before leaving the airport in 1993, Rick was named Director of Aviation.