Remembering Jesse Jackson: Tributes pour in for the late civil rights leader

CHICAGO - The death of Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Chicago civil rights leader and political trailblazer who worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the city and the nation. Jackson died Tuesday at the age of 84.

The backstory:

He was a civil rights leader, a politician and community activist. He met Jacqueline Lavinia Brown, and they were married in 1962. Together, they had five children. It was at a time of civil unrest and the height of the civil rights movement.

He went to work for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and was with King when he was assassinated in 1968. It was after King's death that Jackson took the reins and became known as one of the premier leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1971, he founded a group called People United to Save Humanity or Operation Quick.

In 1984, Jackson ran for the 1984 Democratic presidential nomination, but lost to Walter Mondale. He tried again in 1988 and landed in second place in the Democratic primaries, falling to then Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis. Jackson transitioned his activism from protest to politics.

It was at about the same time that he formed a group he named the National Rainbow Coalition, because it was made up of people from all races and ethnic backgrounds.

During his lifetime, Jackson collected more than 35 honorary degrees and was recognized over and over for his efforts to help those less fortunate.

In 2017, Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, but he still kept a public face. In September 2021, he and his wife were hospitalized with COVID. He had been vaccinated, she had not. It affected his Parkinson's and his ability to walk and talk, and he had to undergo intensive therapy. But before long, he was back in the public eye doing what he did best, protesting injustice and bringing attention to issues for the less fortunate.

Jackson once said, "never look down on anybody unless you are helping him up." It was a mantra he lived by, one he's inspired others to continue as he leaves a significant legacy behind that helped pave the way for the modern civil rights movement we all know today.

Rev. Jesse Jackson remembered

What they're saying:

Tributes are pouring in from elected officials, civil rights leaders and community members across the country, all remembering Jackson’s decades-long fight for justice and the lasting impact he made on generations.

Jackson Family

Jackson’s family said that he was a "a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world."

"Our father was a servant leader – not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the work," the Jackson family said in a statement. "We shared with him the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by."

U.S. President Donald Trump

In a post to Truth Social, President Donald Trump says he knew Jackson well for years and remembered him as a "force of nature" while offering condolences to his family.

"The Reverend Jesse Jackson is Dead at 84," Trump said in the statement. "I knew him well, long before becoming President. He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and "street smarts." He was very gregarious - Someone who truly loved people! Despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left, Democrats ALL, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way. I provided office space for him and his Rainbow Coalition, for years, in the Trump Building at 40 Wall Street; Responded to his request for help in getting CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM passed and signed, when no other President would even try; Single handedly pushed and passed long term funding for Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), which Jesse loved, but also, which other Presidents would not do; Responded to Jesse’s support for Opportunity Zones, the single most successful economic development package yet approved for Black business men/women, and much more. Jesse was a force of nature like few others before him. He had much to do with the Election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand. He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed!"

Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama

Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama remembered Jackson as a towering civil rights leader who paved the way for generations — including their own family.

"Michelle and I were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of a true giant, the Reverend Jesse Jackson," the statement said.

"For more than 60 years, Reverend Jackson helped lead some of the most significant movements for change in human history. From organizing boycotts and sit-ins, to registering millions of voters, to advocating for freedom and democracy around the world, he was relentless in his belief that we are all children of God, deserving of dignity and respect."

"Reverend Jackson also created opportunities for generations of African Americans and inspired countless more, including us. Michelle got her first glimpse of political organizing at the Jacksons’ kitchen table when she was a teenager. And in his two historic runs for president, he laid the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office of the land."

"Michelle and I will always be grateful for Jesse's lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share. We stood on his shoulders. We send our deepest condolences to the Jackson family and everyone in Chicago and beyond who knew and loved him."

Former President Joe Biden

Former President Joe Biden remembered Jackson as a decades-long friend and moral leader who pushed the nation to live up to its promise of equality.

"Throughout our decades of friendship and partnership, I’ve known Reverend Jackson as history will remember him: a man of God and of the people. Determined and tenacious. Unafraid of the work to redeem the soul of our Nation," Biden said.

"I’ve seen how Reverend Jackson has helped lead our Nation forward through tumult and triumph. He’s done it with optimism, and a relentless insistence on what is right and just. Whether through impassioned words on the campaign trail, or moments of quiet courage, Reverend Jackson influenced generations of Americans, and countless elected leaders, including Presidents," Biden’s statement said.

"Reverend Jackson believed in his bones the promise of America: that we are all created equal in the image of God and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. While we’ve never fully lived up to that promise, he dedicated his life to ensuring we never fully walked away from it either."

Former President Bill Clinton and Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

In a joint statement posted on X, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are remembering Jackson as a lifelong friend and tireless advocate for equality.

"Jackson championed human dignity and helped create opportunities for countless people to live better lives. Throughout it all, he kept marching to the music of his conscience, his convictions, and his causes," said a statement from former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"Reverend Jackson never stopped working for a better America with brighter tomorrows, including his historic campaigns for the Presidency in 1984 and 1988 in which he championed the concerns of Black, Latino, Asian, and lower income white Americans. I will always be grateful for the friendship he gave Hillary, Chelsea and me; proud to have nominated him as my Special Envoy for the Promotion of Democracy in Africa; and honored to present him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom."

"Hillary and I loved him very much," the statement said. "Our hearts and prayers go out to Jackie, their children and grandchildren, and all the people across America and around the world who were inspired by his service to humanity."

Former Vice President Kamala Harris

Former Vice President Kamala Harris wrote a tribute to Jackson on X Tuesday morning, saying Jackson "let us know our voices mattered. He instilled in us that we were somebody."

"Reverend Jesse Jackson was one of America’s greatest patriots," Harris wrote. "He spent his life summoning all of us to fulfill the promise of America and building the coalitions to make that promise real."

"He let us know our voices mattered. He instilled in us that we were somebody. And he widened the path for generations to follow in his footsteps and lead," she said.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is honoring Jackson as a giant of the civil rights movement and ordering flags across the state to fly at half-mast in his memory.

"Rev. Jesse Jackson was a giant of the civil rights movement," Pritzker wrote in a post on X. "He broke down barriers, inspired generations, and kept hope alive. Our state, nation, and world are better due to his years of service. I’m ordering flags to half-mast to honor him. May his memory be a blessing."

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is mourning Jackson as a mentor and friend, honoring his lifelong fight for justice and announcing the Chicago flag will be lowered to half-staff in his memory.

"I am devastated to lose my mentor and friend, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.," Johnson wrote in a post on X. "We honor him, and his hard-earned legacy as a freedom fighter, philosopher, and faithful shepherd of his family and community here in Chicago."

"In honor of Rev. Jackson’s service, and as our city mourns, the Chicago flag will lower to half-staff," Johnson went on to say.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is remembering Jackson as a lifelong civil rights leader and a friend in the fight for social justice.

"Reverend Jesse Jackson committed his life to the fight for civil rights," Durbin said in a statement. "I counted him as a friend and ally on many issues of social justice. My deepest condolences are with his family, friends, and the many lives he touched."

U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth 

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth paid tribute to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, highlighting his decades of advocacy and leadership in the civil rights movement.

"Reverend Jesse Jackson was a barrier-breaking civil rights giant who spent his days, his nights—and his whole life—working to improve the lives of others and patch America together into a ‘great quilt of unity and common ground.’

"He grew up in a South that was marred by segregated lunch counters and water fountains. But that never, ever stopped him from believing that America could—would—be better if we all had the courage to speak out, to sit in, to march across every bridge and through any obstacle that stood in the way of progress.

"America is not, and has never been, perfect. But we are closer to that more perfect union our founders dreamed of because of him.

"I’m endlessly grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know Reverend Jackson over the years. I, like so many others, will miss him deeply.

"Thank you for keeping the hope alive, Reverend Jackson. Now it’s on each of us to carry your torch forward."

Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot

Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot mourned Jackson as an iconic leader, mentor and unapologetic champion for the downtrodden.

"The Lord has called our brother, the Honorable Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., home," Lightfoot said in a statement. "Words are inadequate to fully capture the essence of this man–iconic leader, unapologetic champion for the downtrodden, and vulnerable, barrier breaker, diplomat and strategist extraordinaire–the list of his accolades is long. I will just say thank you, Rev. Jackson, for your generosity of spirit, your mentorship, and your friendship. Never to be forgotten, you have earned your well deserved rest in the bosom of the angels."

Martin Luther King III

Martin Luther King III and his wife Arndrea Waters King called Jackson a "living bridge between generations," in a social media post on Tuesday.

"A towering voice and a devoted servant of justice. Reverend Jackson was more than a civil rights advocate — he was a living bridge between generations, carrying forward the unfinished work and sacred promise of the Civil Rights Movement," the pair said in a statement.

Rev. Bernice King

Rev. Bernice King, daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King, eulogized Jackson's life in the service of humanity.

"He was a gifted negotiator and a courageous bridge‑builder, serving humanity by bringing calm into tense rooms and creating pathways where none existed," the Rev. Bernice King said. "My family shares a long and meaningful history with him, rooted in a shared commitment to justice and love. As we grieve, we give thanks for a life that pushed hope into weary places."

Rev. Al Sharpton

Civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton paid tribute in a statement on social media, calling Jackson his "mentor" and "a movement unto himself."

"Today, I lost the man who first called me into purpose when I was just twelve years old," Sharpton said on X. "And our nation lost one of its greatest moral voices. The Reverend Dr. Jesse Louis Jackson was not simply a civil rights leader; he was a movement unto himself. He carried history in his footsteps and hope in his voice. One of the greatest honors of my life was learning at his side."

Bishop William J. Barber

Bishop William J. Barber II remembered Jackson as a mentor and moral leader who challenged America to live up to its promise of equality and justice.

"Jesse Jackson was a gift from God and a witness that God exists in the ways he cared for and lifted all people, the way he called forth a rainbow coalition of people to challenge economic and social inequality from the pulpit to a historic presidential run, the way he dared to keep hope alive whenever the nation struggled with being who she says she is and yet ought to be," said Bishop William J. Barber II, who co-founded the Poor People’s Campaign.

"When I was a college student, he was a gift to me as a mentor, and it has been my great privilege to have him walk alongside me through my whole public ministry," Barber said. "May we all take up his hope for the America that has never yet been but nevertheless must be."

Rev. Michael Pfleger, Saint Sabina Church

Father Michael Pfleger told FOX Chicago he is remembering Jackson as a fearless fighter for justice and a close friend who never stopped urging people to "keep hope alive."

"And there's no place you can go, I don't think in America and perhaps around the world where some child or some adult don't hear the words keep hope alive, or I am somebody and not think of Rev. Jackson," Pfleger told FOX Chicago. "He made a lot of children, I think, realize they were somebody and he made a lot of adults including myself no matter what was going on, never give up hope."

Rainbow/PUSH

Rainbow/PUSH, the nonprofit formed of two merged organizations that Jackson founded, announced his death on social media.

"His unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity," the statement read. "A tireless change agent, he elevated the voices of the voiceless – from his Presidential campaigns in the 1980s to mobilizing millions to register to vote – leaving an indelible mark on history."

NAACP

NAACP leaders are remembering Jackson as a civil rights icon and longtime ally whose leadership helped shape the modern movement for voting rights, economic opportunity and racial justice.

"Reverend Jesse Jackson was not only a civil rights icon — he was family to the NAACP," a statement on their website said. "His work advanced Black America at every turn. He challenged this nation to live up to its highest ideals, and he reminded our movement that hope is both a strategy and a responsibility. His historic run for president inspired millions and brought race to the forefront of American politics. We honor his legacy by continuing the work he championed: protecting the right to vote, expanding economic opportunity, and fighting for the freedom and dignity of Black people everywhere."

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa credited Jackson with helping hasten the end of apartheid through his international activism and pressure campaigns.

"His campaigns for an end to apartheid included disinvestment from the apartheid economy and challenging the support the regime enjoyed in certain circles and institutions internationally," President Cyril Ramaphosa said. "We are deeply indebted to the energy, principled clarity and personal risk with which he supported our struggle and campaigned for freedom and equality in other parts of the world."

Illinois Senate President Don Harmon

Illinois Senate President Don Harmon is remembering Rev. Jesse Jackson as a fearless advocate who spent his life pushing for justice and equality.

"The Rev. Jackson was a hero, a champion, a rabble-rouser and a front-row participant to history," Harmon wrote. "He spent his life challenging the status quo, fighting for underdogs and pushing society forward toward justice and equality. We are all indeed better because of his work and commitment. We can honor his legacy by keeping the fight alive and always seeking that better tomorrow. May he forever rest in peace."

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis

Congressman Danny Davis released a statement on the passing of Jackson, calling him a friend and comrade in the fight for civil rights, human rights, and dignity for people around the world.

"We are saddened, extremely saddened, to hear of the passing of Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson," Davis said. "Of course, we have known that he was ill for quite some time and that, ultimately, it would come. Nevertheless, we were hoping that he would continue to live. But the work, the spirit, what he has meant not only to the city, the state, country, and this world will continue to live on."

U.S. Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García

Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García remembered Jackson as a close friend and transformational civil rights leader who inspired generations to fight for justice and political participation.

"Today, our country has lost a beacon of civil rights and a champion for equality," Garcia said in a statement. "Throughout his life, Reverend Jackson fearlessly advocated for the rights and dignity of working-class communities, serving as a beacon of hope for millions."

"Reverend Jackson’s unwavering commitment to equality and justice has left an indelible mark not only on Chicago’s history but also our nation's history."

Retired Congressman Bobby Rush

Retired Congressman Bobby L. Rush is honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson as a life-saving mentor and constant presence in his life, both personally and politically.

"The Reverend taught me so many things through the enormity of his leadership, his passion, and his endless sacrifices for "the least of these," Rush said. "He literally saved my life on the stage of Operation Breadbasket—later to become Operation PUSH—on Saturday, December 6, 1969."

"A warrant had been issued for my arrest after the FBI assassinated Fred Hampton. I turned myself in that day, and Reverend Jackson said they’d better return me in the same condition I was in on that stage. If it were not for Reverend Jackson, Renault Robinson, and others, I would have been dead."

"Since then, Reverend Jackson has been a constant presence in both my public and private life. He taught everybody that we are SOMEBODY, and his spirit will endure forever," the statement said.

State Sen. Willie Preston

Illinois State Sen. Willie Preston remembered Jackson as a powerful voice for Black America and a personal inspiration who taught generations to stand up and speak out.

"The world grieves the passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. but nowhere as much as in Black America and in Chicago: Our people have lost our reverend," Preston said in a statement. "As a boy his example told me that 'I AM somebody.' When I had the privilege to meet him as a young activist, he encouraged all of us to speak truth to the mighty powers that corrupt and oppress us - and without compromise."

Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin

Chicago Treasurer and candidate for Illinois’ 7th Congressional District Melissa Conyears-Ervin honored Jackson as a trailblazing civil rights leader whose legacy of building multiracial coalitions and fighting for justice will continue to inspire future generations.

"Reverend Jackson, your time has come, but no grave will contain the power of your works," Conyears-Ervin said. "Those of us who have been blessed to know and follow you see the sun of your legacy rising over the rainbow coalition you compelled us to build – a multiracial coalition that fights for justice, the rights of all people, and for the health and welfare of those of us who need it most.