Jesse Jackson’s Children Reflect on His Enduring Legacy in Chicago

CHICAGO (Azat TV) – The children of civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson gathered in Chicago on Wednesday to publicly reflect on his profound life and enduring legacy, just one day after his peaceful passing at age 84. Their collective tribute underscored his tireless fight for justice and equality, signaling a poignant moment for the nation as the ‘mantle of standing up for freedom’ now passes to a new generation, as articulated by his son U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson.

Rev. Jackson, a towering figure in American civil rights, diplomacy, and politics, died on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. His family, including sons U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Illinois), former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., and Yusef Jackson, and daughters Santita and Ashley Jackson, convened at the family home in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. Daughter Jacqueline Jackson was out of the city and unable to attend. The family confirmed that Jackson had battled Parkinson’s disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy for an extended period, which ultimately led to his death.

A Family’s Tribute to a Civil Rights Icon

The public statements from Rev. Jackson’s children offered intimate insights into the man behind the movement. Yusef Jackson described his father as a ‘lion among lions, stubborn to the very, very end,’ emphasizing his early commitment to justice, including an arrest at 17 for protesting library segregation. ‘Our father is a man who dedicated his life to public service, to gain, protect, and defend civil rights and human rights, to make our nation better, to make the world more just, our people better neighbors with each other,’ Yusef Jackson stated, according to CBS News.

Santita Jackson highlighted her father’s deep faith and his pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement. She recounted how Rev. Jackson, a seminarian who turned down law school at Duke, caught the attention of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘King said, ‘I see something special in you,’ so a semester before he got his master’s in divinity — which he ultimately finished — he went on to work for Dr. King,’ Santita Jackson shared. She asserted that no one had been ‘more faithful to the mission of Dr. Martin Luther King than Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson Sr.’ She also expressed her hope that people would remember her father as their ‘champion,’ someone who believed in everyone and worked to ensure they found their voice.

U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson reflected on his father’s resilience. ‘My father’s lived a long life, and the words that he shared with me constantly in this latter part of his life is to remind people that he was a long-distance runner,’ Rep. Jackson said. He emphasized that the ‘mantle of standing up for freedom, standing up for dignity, standing up for those that have been marginalized, has now passed on — not to be inherited by a person, but to be taken over and taken up by another generation.’

Jesse Jackson Jr., who was with his father in his final moments, described the profound gratitude he felt for being present. ‘I woke up at about 12:35 a.m., I heard a gasp, and that gasp was my father’s final breath,’ he recounted. He also announced that the funeral services would be open to all, regardless of political or ideological differences, reflecting his father’s broad appeal and inclusive vision for America.

Honoring a Life of Unwavering Advocacy

Rev. Jackson’s advocacy began in earnest after transferring to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 1960. Inspired by the Greensboro Woolworth’s sit-ins, he became a campus leader and student government president. His connection with Dr. King led him to establish the Chicago branch of Operation Breadbasket in 1966, an economic arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) that pressured companies to increase Black hiring, as reported by ABC7 Chicago and N.C. A&T.

In 1971, he founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity), which later merged with the National Rainbow Coalition to form the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in 1996. These organizations became platforms for his progressive humanitarian views, advocating for African Americans and other marginalized communities. Jackson made history with his groundbreaking presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988, becoming the first Black man to run for the U.S. presidency and demonstrating the viability of a Black leader for the nation’s highest office. His international efforts included opposing apartheid, negotiating hostage releases, and speaking at the United Nations on human rights.

The Legacy Continues: Funeral and Future

Tributes have poured in from across the nation and the world. Flags outside Chicago City Hall were lowered to half-staff, and bunting adorned the Rainbow PUSH headquarters. Faith leaders, politicians, and friends shared memories of his impact. President Donald Trump, in a Truth Social post, remembered Jackson as ‘a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and ‘street smarts.” Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama also issued a statement, noting that Michelle Obama got her ‘first glimpse of political organizing at the Jacksons’ kitchen table when she was a teenager,’ and crediting Jackson’s presidential runs for laying ‘the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office in the land,’ according to NBC Chicago.

The family announced that public observances and funeral arrangements are expected to be held next week in Chicago. These services will include Rev. Jackson lying in state at the Rainbow PUSH Headquarters, allowing the public to pay their respects to a man who dedicated his life to service and justice.

The collective voice of Rev. Jesse Jackson’s children, emerging immediately after his passing, not only serves as a profound eulogy but also strategically positions his enduring civil rights mission as a generational call to action, ensuring his legacy continues to inspire future movements for equality and justice.