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Jefferson Pierce was born in a disadvantaged locale in Metropolis, aptly named “Suicide Slum”, after the sporadic suicides that occurred there. His father, Alvin, was accidentally shot during a mob hit. Everything had taken a rough turn for Jefferson and his widowed mother, Leona. Approximately one month later, an Italian tailor named Peter Gambi opened a shop beneath their apartment to support them financially. Peter cared for Jefferson when Leona was busy working long hours for her demanding job. Over time, Jefferson came to see Peter as a father figure. Growing up, Jefferson pushed himself in athletics and his studies, with an adeptness in English and poetry, and even penned a few lines in honor of Peter. At the age of 18, Jefferson qualified for the Olympic Games, gaining media fame which highlighted his rise from Suicide Slum. Jefferson wanted to send a message to everyone at home that through hard work, they could leave the neighborhood. Having won medals and attention, Jefferson received scholarships and endorsement offers which allowed him to attend college, leading to him to receive both an English major and teaching degree. Four years later, he competed in the olympics again and this time won the decathalon. Shortly after this, he began a teaching career upstate in New Carthage, but returned to Metropolis to attend his mother’s funeral when the latter died. In his time away, he had married Lynne Stewart, a lawyer and educator. A short time later, Lynne bore Jefferson a daughter, Anissa. Shortly after, he discovered that nothing had changed in Suicide Slum. At this, he made an impression at his old alma mater, Garfield High School, by kicking a local drug dealer off the premises, and also humiliated three members of the criminal organization known as the 100. In retaliation, the organization murdered Earl Clifford, one of Jefferson’s students, and left his corpse in the school gymnasium. Jefferson related this tragedy to Peter, who encouraged him to fight back using a persona that does not provoke counterattacks on his students, and presented him with a costume which had a force field belt affixed to it that would allow the wearer to generate lightning bolts. While in costume, Black lightning would speak using the common “jive talk” stereotype, and also wear a mask over his eyes that would conceal his true identity, thus allaying suspicion from a well-educated teacher. Jefferson made a name for himself as Black Lightning, and amassed a web of allies, such as Superman, Jimmy Olsen, and police inspector Bill Henderson.