Dr. Martin Luther King had a Dream.
Rev. Jesse Jackson kept Hope Alive.
Two iconic civil rights leaders and voices of a movement that changed lives and altered history. The two larger-than-life figures are now a part of our ancestors after Jackson died following an extended illness. He was 84.
Jackson will forever be remembered for his service as one of King’s trusted young aides, for standing on the motel balcony and pointing in the direction the assassin’s bullet came that ultimately killed King in 1968, and then continuing the civil rights fight that King started. Jackson also left a legacy of uplifting Black America, twice running for president, establishing the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, and always standing with the defenseless.
Ultimately, Jackson has left an indelible mark on this world.
“His legacy is strong. It’s very much one that is cemented. He wasn’t a perfect man. None of us are,” said Vice President of Equitable Justice for the National Urban League Ray B. Shackelford. “Looking back on his legacy and his life, it was definitely something that illustrated the human experience to me because it has so many facets.
“Thankfully, he did live, from the outside looking in, a very full life. He got to experience and see, and do so much. He gave it everything he had. All of us should have a goal to leave earth as empty vessels to really pour out everything God has sewn into us. Whether you liked him or not, he definitely did that in my opinion.”
Jackson, who had dealt with Parkinson’s Disease and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), passed away while surrounded by family.
“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said in a statement.
There was an outpouring of respect and honor from dignitaries with whom he shared alliances, as well as some with whom Jackson had complicated relationships.
“Rev. Jesse Jackson dedicated his life to pushing this country to live up to its promises. For more than half a century, he challenged America to be fairer and more just,” recently elected 18th-Congressional Representative Christian Menefee said in a statement on Instagram. “He stood on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement and never stopped speaking out against racism, poverty, and inequity.”
“The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. was a legendary voice for the voiceless, powerful civil rights champion and trailblazer extraordinaire,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. said on X.
“Reverend Jackson stood wherever dignity was under attack, from apartheid abroad to injustice at home. His voice echoed in boardrooms and in jail cells,” Civil Rights leader Al Sharpton said via a statement.
Jackson, who became the second Black person after Shirley Chisholm to seek the Democratic nomination in 1984 and 1988, was famously seen shedding tears after Barack Obama was elected as the first Black President of the United States in 2008. At some point, their relationship became complicated, but Barack and Michelle Obama released a statement praising the work and leadership that Jackson displayed over decades.
Barack and Jackson shared Chicago as their adopted home.
“Michelle and I will always be grateful for Jesse’s lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share,” the Obamas said. “We stood on his shoulders. We send out deep condolences to the Jackson family and everyone in Chicago and beyond who knew and loved him.”
“He was, to me, genuinely a larger-than-life figure. You can’t tell the story of American history or Black history without Jesse Jackson.”
– Ray Shackelford
A proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Jackson was revered and viewed as a giant among his frat brothers. Shackelford hopes that all members of Omega Psi Phi will answer the call to step up for Black America.
“As a man, as a young Black man in this country who does civil rights and social impact work who is a member of Omega Psi Phi, I hope he leaves a legacy and a charge to me and other brothers to continue to live in that vein, to push the bounds to do more than simply wear the colors but understand that we have a charge as Men of Omega to do so much more to impact and leave a legacy that is greater than us,” Shackelford said.
Jackson received numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and mentored generations of civil rights and political leaders.
Beyond public life, Jackson was a devoted family man. He married Jacqueline Brown in 1962. She survives him, along with their five children, including Jesse Jackson Jr.
