Dorothy Jackson-Johnson’s legacy includes street in her honor
After a person passes away, you often hear people say positive things in remembrance like “they were a good person, or “they were truly an angel on earth.”
After hearing many stories from her children, grandchildren, relatives, friends, and community members those words accurately describe Dorothy Jackson-Johnson, whom many said completed God’s work while living.
On Saturday, June 5, a street renaming ceremony was held in Jackson-Johnson’s honor at the intersection of 4500 Alice Ave—the address where she spent more than 40 years feeding the souls of her family and the north St. Louis College Hill community from her Magic Dragon Palace Chinese and soul food restaurant. The street is now named Dorothy Jackson-Johnson Way.
“The street renaming is a dream come true for her because she loved this neighborhood,” Debra Austell, Jackson-Johnson’s daughter said. “She did everything she could for everyone around her. Even despite people’s flaws and shortcomings, she still saw the good in everyone.”
Her ambition to launch a business began when she started working as a cook at the once flourishing Chah Wah Chinese restaurant. She worked there for 16 years before it closed in 1974. She took her culinary skill to the Greek Casino Lounge, which was across the street from what would become her restaurant located on Alice Ave.
Her passion for cooking and extensive experience led to creation of The Magic Dragon, a place where her family came for home-cooked Southern meals after a long day of work or school. It also served as a safe haven for the elderly, the disabled, the homeless and even those who struggled with addiction.
Jackson-Johnson opened her doors to people and offered them good food and encouragement for nourishment.
“My grandmother was the rock of our family who kept everyone in check and gave you a good meal all at the same time,” Erica Jackson, granddaughter of Jackson-Johnson said. “She was a light amongst many people in the community. People from all generations brought their kids to The Magic Dragon Palace, it was a wonderful experience.”
Clarence Johnson, the last of the Jackson-Johnson children, received an inside glimpse into Jackson-Johnson’s hard work and dedication at her restaurant. As a teenager, Johnson was required to work the last weekday shift from 7-10 p.m. and the late weekend shift 7 p.m.-1 a.m. During that time, his mother instilled in him what a good work ethic was, and he learned what a good leader looks like.
“The work ethic that she instilled in all of us is that work is important and work now, play later.” Johnson said.
Other relatives including Jackson-Johnson’s grandson Derrick “DSmoovee Shabazz” Jackson, who works as a radio personality at the Streetz 105.1 radio station, and with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ Serving Our Streets Initiative echoed the same feelings as his uncle.
He added that his grandmother’s due diligence to her community through cooking and her service at Phillips Memorial Baptist Church is what inspired him and many of his other family members to join the helping profession and become entrepreneurs.
“One thing she left me with is how to leave a legacy, and I love the fact that she embraced her community the way that she did and that she always received that same love she showed in return,” Derrick said. “When I looked at her every day, I wondered how I could elevate to her status, and one day look at the street I grew up on and have it renamed after me.”
Erica said the idea for the street renaming came after she and the rest of the family couldn’t celebrate her birthday last year on May 9 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Bobbie Jackson, the third child of her seven children, said the street renaming is long overdue with everything his mother has accomplished in the community.
“It feels like a long time coming for her recognition, she should’ve been recognized long before,” Bobbie said. “She cared about everybody and would give everything she had. She was a great mother.”
Dorothy Jackson-Johnson was born on May 9, 1932 in Leland, Miss., Gussie Spencer, who preceded her in death. For her basic education, she studied in the Leland City School system.
As a single mother, she and her six children lived in the Pruitt-Igoe housing project for several years while she worked for Chah Wah.
She married Lorenzo Johnson on August 14, 1973; a seventh child was born from their union.
When the restaurant closed, she still had five children in the home and wasn’t old enough to receive retirement, so she had to find new employment.
She thought fast on her feet in efforts to figure out how to feed her family and decided to rent the kitchen in the Greek Casino Lounge. She worked there for two years on a twelve-hour workday schedule.
In April 1976, she and her husband purchased the building across the street from the Greek Casino Lounge and converted what was once a bakery into the Magic Dragon Palace Restaurant, located at the corner of Alice Ave and Carter Ave.
On October 6, 2020, she died at age 88 from diverticulitis, a disease in which small pouches begin to develop that bulge through the colon or the large intestine.
