BLACK LIGHTNING (Earth-7)

Biography 

Early Life

 Jefferson Pierce was born with a latent metagene that allowed his body to generate and store electrical energy. This power made him a walking lightning rod, unintentionally affecting electrical devices around him. To help control his condition, scientists at S.T.A.R. Labs designed a special belt to ground and contain the electricity within his body.

Franklin Stern Educational Institute

 Jeff grew up in the “Suicide Slum”—a marginalized, high-crime area of Metropolis. Despite the hardships, he excelled academically, eventually graduating as a historian and educator. His dedication to uplifting others led him to become the director of the Franklin Stern Educational Institute, where he worked to guide young people away from the cycle of violence.

Many of his students came from the same troubled environment he had escaped. Motivated to give them better options, Jeff developed programs to help them choose their own paths, including:

• Self-defense classes with Ted Grant

• A School Therapist, Mrs. Lilith Clay

• A martial band sponsored by Amertek Industries

• The Newsboy Legion – a group of young journalists exposing truths about the world, even catching the attention of Lois Lane in the Daily Planet.

As Black Lightning

 Inspired by his students’ courage, Jeff decided to take direct action against crime. Modifying his containment belt to externalize his electrical energy, he began fighting as the superhero Black Lightning—protecting the streets while continuing his work as “Prof. Jeff Pierce.” Through both his heroics and his teaching, Jefferson Pierce changed lives and became a force for justice in Metropolis and beyond.

 Eventually he was invited to join the Justice League, but their partnership was recently ended, due to Jeff finding out about the Secret Pact signed by Justice League members. He didn't agreed with their ideals of how to deal with crime, so he decided to quit the team.

 He still believes that a great work has to be achieved trough collaboration and partnership, so he founded his own super-hero team, the Outsiders, formed by urban heroes who came from the bottom and still believes that society could be fixed trough actions.