Douglas Lee "Tim" Jamerson, Jr. (October 16, 1947 – April 21, 2001) was a Florida Commissioner of Education. He was appointed to the position in 1993 after Betty Castor resigned to become President of the University of South Florida. He was defeated in his bid for a full term in 1994 by Frank Brogan. Jamerson grew up in the poor neighborhoods in St. Petersburg, Florida. He planned to attend Gibbs High School, but his grandmother encouraged him to go to Bishop Barry High School (now St. Petersburg Catholic High School) instead, where he was the school's first black student. Jamerson graduated from St. Petersburg Junior College and received his

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

in criminal justice from the University of South Florida. He also was a graduate of St. Petersburg Police Academy. Jamerson was elected to the

Florida House of Representatives The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the C ...

in 1982 from District 55 and served five and a half terms in that capacity.

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Lawton Chiles appointed him state education commissioner in 1993, but he lost the seat to Frank Brogan in the 1994 election, in which Republicans made substantial gains. After his loss, Chiles appointed him as secretary of the state Department of Labor. Jamerson died of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

at the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in 2001, at the age of 53.sptimes.com
retrieved 6 June 2010

References

Florida commissioners of education 2001 deaths African-American state legislators in Florida University of South Florida alumni 1947 births 20th-century members of the Florida Legislature Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives 20th-century African-American politicians {{Florida-bio-stub