CHICAGO — Mourners filed through a downtown auditorium Thursday to pay final respects to the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., as memorial events honoring the civil rights leader began in the city he long called home.
Jackson, a former protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a two-time presidential contender, will lie in repose for two days at Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters before services are held in Washington, D.C., and in South Carolina, where he was raised. Family members wiped tears as the casket was brought into the brick building. Floral tributes lined the sidewalks and a large screen outside played excerpts of his speeches; some arriving at the memorial raised fists in solidarity.
Inside the auditorium, Jackson’s children stood near the open casket alongside Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Rev. Al Sharpton as visitors filed past. Sharpton said the responsibility now falls on the next generation to carry forward Dr. King’s dream and Jackson’s mission.
Jackson died last week at 84 after a lengthy battle with a rare neurological disorder that later limited his mobility and speech. Tributes poured in from around the world, and several states, including Minnesota, Iowa and North Carolina, ordered flags flown at half-staff.
The loss was acutely felt in Chicago, where Jackson built his life and raised six children, including a son who serves in Congress. Bouquets have amassed outside the family’s South Side home, public schools posted condolences, and digital displays on city trains showed his portrait alongside his longtime rallying cry, “I am Somebody!”
Jackson’s activism covered a wide array of domestic and international issues: he championed voting rights, jobs, education and health care for the disadvantaged; negotiated diplomatic interventions abroad; and used the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to pressure corporations and institutions to expand opportunities for Black Americans, turning demands for dignity and self-determination into boardroom and policy conversations.
Mayor Johnson praised Jackson’s legacy as that of a freedom fighter and community leader. Rainbow PUSH’s schedule shows Jackson will lie in honor next week at the South Carolina Statehouse before additional public events there. The coalition listed Gov. Henry McMaster as an expected speaker, though his office said his participation had not been confirmed. A separate request to have Jackson lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol rotunda was denied by House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office.
Organizers said two weeks of observances will culminate with a large celebration of life at a Chicago megachurch and homegoing services at Rainbow PUSH headquarters; family members said all events will be open to the public. Eldest son Jesse Jackson Jr. said the family has been moved by the outpouring of support and called the ceremonies a time for people to put aside political rhetoric and reflect on a man who brought many together.
Services featured prayers from some of Chicago’s most prominent religious leaders, including Cardinal Blase Cupich. Attendees ranged from toddlers in strollers to older adults in wheelchairs. Inside the auditorium, video clips recalled Jackson’s news conferences, campaign appearances and even a guest spot on Sesame Street.
Chicago retiree Claudette Redic, whose family benefited from a scholarship initiative Jackson championed, said the work he began has helped generations and expressed hope that support will continue.