| Summary: | Politician Jesse White was born on June 23, 1934 in Alton, Illinois. White enrolled at Alabama State College, majoring in physical education. Upon graduation, White signed with the Chicago Cubs organization. However, he was drafted by the United States Army. After his discharge in 1959, White returned to Chicago, where he began his professional baseball career, playing for several seasons with the Chicago Cubs. In December 1959, White was asked to organize a gym show at the Rockwell Garden Housing Project. This show laid the foundation for what would become known worldwide as the Jesse White Tumbling Team. In 1974, he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, serving in the Illinois General Assembly until 1992 when he was elected Cook County Recorder of Deeds. In 1996, he was reelected to the same office and served until 1998, when he made history by being the first African American elected Secretary of State for Illinois.
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