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More Than An American Hero published the following interview in 1995. The intro said, "On March 16th of 1967, while recording his solo music album, Lester Jackson sat down for an interview with long-time friend Shelton Masters. The interview was originally published in THE NEW JERSEY INTREPID, a local variety magazine which covered Lester faithfully from his arrival in New Jersey all the way until his disappearance. As Lester viewed the mass media as generally corrupt, this interview is extremely rare and has been re-printed only by permission of it author."
THE INTERVIEW - March 16, 1967; Shelton Master, interviewer
SHELTON: Where did you get the name Lester Jackson?
LESTER: Where did you get the name Shelton Masters? (laughs)
S: My parents, I believe.
L: Well, not me.
S: Is Lester Jackson your real name?
L: As far as I'm concerned it is.
S: Were you a tough child to raise?
L: Tough? No. Very easy-going. My parents couldn't understand that though. They would yell at me violently and I'd just smile - I've never let other people's negative energy affect me. I think reactionary people are silly. But, being from Russia my parents had a strict mindset, and in that sense, I understood their reasoning.
S: What are your first memories of your childhood?
L: As I said, I was raised in Russia, and in Russia at that time, there was a lot of hatred for Blacks, so my first memories are of my parents being harassed by authorities and neighbors.
S: Were you an only child?
L: I was one of two boys.
S: So you're saying that somewhere out there, Lester Jackson has a brother?
L: Somewhere.
S: Being from Russia, you speak almost perfect English...
L: I've lived her for over twenty years, there's a lot of things I picked up.
S: Why did you decided to come to America?
L: Russia in the 1940s was not a good place for anyone of African descent, especially myself, as I was not willing to conform to the racist ideals of their society.
S: Was it Communism you sought to escape?
L: I wouldn't say Communism, because Russia has never been a model of true Communism. Rather, I'd say the mis-representation of Communism. Also, especially at that time, the United States was being portrayed as this great body of personal freedom and wealth, and many of my Russian-African brothers and sisters wanted to come and be a part of that.
S: So how did you end up here in America?
L: I ended up here. (laughs)
S: You mentioned that you had viewed America "as this great body of personal freedom and wealth," do you still feel that way?
L: I was in one of the last groups to ever pass through Ellis Island, and from the moment I stepped foot in The Great Hall, I knew that I had been misled. This country thrives upon immigration, historically and even now. But the selfish and arrogant American mindset views immigration as an ail.
S: Why do you think that is?
L: Well, most of it has to do with the way immigration is portrayed by the press. The media in America has a tremendous ability to cause a sense of fear in the country's citizens. I mean, look at what happened when Orson Welles went on the radio and talked about a Martian invasion, and that was just radio play. So there is definitely an ability there to manipulate and control America's sense of issues, and that includes immigration.
S: Do you see that happening now in our media?
L: Well, obviously with the whole conflict in Vietnam, there is definitely some manipulation going on there, I mean, why is America even over there?
S: Supposedly to save South Vietnam from Communism.
L: In a Democratic vote, South Vietnam chose to join with the North. So don't tell me that America is there to save the South.
S: Your novel From Black and Communist to Black and Democratic was criticized by many as Communist propaganda. Do you feel that criticism is valid?
L: I don't think I've ever been responsible for propaganda. But even back during the Juice Jones films I was accused of propagating the stereotype of black men in America.
S: You don't think you were?
L: I think Paul [Mueller] and I were just exploring the stereotypes. But propogation and exploration are two completely different ball games.
S: Why did you finally quit acting?
L: After seven years of working in motion pictures I just needed a break. On our last film Juice of All Trades we had actually shot on location in Los Angeles, and being from Russia and Harlem, I'd never really been exposed to such beautiful weather. So Dee and I just decided to move.
S: Did you ever consider acting in Hollywood?
L: There were offers but I just couldn't buy into that whole Hollywood studio thing. Even with our films, we never were under the control of any conformist investors or studio-heads. I think anytime you mix art and business on a large scale, the product will be tainted. But I think now, especially we may finally see the death of the studio-dominated era.
S: Is that because there are more independent films being made?
L: Partly, as a matter of fact, just recently I was offered a role in a motion picture about two close friends traveling across the country on motorcycles. It was an interesting concept, but I just would never want to go back to acting. But there was a brilliant picture released last year, it had to be a small-budget, and someone had taken a James Bond-type action film from Japan and knocked out the entire soundtrack, replacing it with American dubbed voices and making it a comedy. So I think there is some hope for American film.
S: After moving to Los Angeles, you enrolled in a community college, why?
L: I just needed to be back in a learning environment. I was becoming more and more interested in the hypocrisy of American democracy and I needed to learn more about it.
S: But after attaining a degree, you did nothing with it.
L: Then.
S: What do you mean?
L: I did nothing with it then. I needed some time away from it. After being in school for two years, I just wanted to get away from the whole concept of societal regulation.
S: And that is why you chose to play soccer?
L: I've been a soccer player, always. Even as an oppressed youth in Russia, I found soccer as an escape - a physical way of releasing inner anxiety and stress.
S: Would you ever play soccer again?
L: Like acting, I think it's safe to say my soccer days are over. Even though, I would still consider myself and actor and soccer player. Those two things, along with my study of politics, are an enormous aspect of my personality. So just because I've left those things physically, I will never leave them emotionally.
S: In 1965, you began writing a second novel which to date has never been released...
L: And it never will.
S: Because?
L: Because that book is a compilation of notes and experiences, journal entries, etc. focusing primarily on a very special friendship that was terminated by and unfortunate death. To release that novel woule be to exploit the friendship I still hold close in my heart.
S: What can we expect on a Lester Jackson music album?
L: Never expect anything, but, I will tell you that being here in New Jersey is an inspiration in itself. I suppose the album will be heavily influenced by my surroundings.
S: Do you ever wish you hadn't been discovered in London?
L: I never wish to correct the past. What happened, happened. Of course, I was developing a unique friendship with Jimi [Hendrix] but I guess it was never meant for me to return.
S: How did your wife react to your return?
L: Only I and she could tell you that, and neither of us feel it's the concern of any outsiders.
S: Does Lester Jackson have any desire to quit music?
L: I love music, but in the same vein that I loved acting and soccer and writing. I'm never so dogmatic as to say I will definitely do this or definitely do that. A lot of people ask me why I wear my wig, maybe tomorrow I won't. **
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