Family thanks supporters, calls for study of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.’s life and legacy
Five of the six children of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. stood outside their parents’ South Shore home Wednesday, February 18, pledging to carry forward the work of the civil rights leader, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., who died Tuesday, February 17, at home at age 84.
Flanked by two large posters bearing their father’s image, Yusef Jackson, Santita Jackson, Ashley Jackson, former U.S. Representative Jesse L. Jackson Jr., and U.S. Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.) addressed a large media presence gathered outside the family residence. Their sister, Jacqueline Jackson, was unable to attend.
The press conference, held less than 24 hours after his passing, was marked by visible emotion as the siblings spoke publicly about their father.
Yusef Jackson, an attorney and chief operating officer of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the organization his father founded in 1971, said Rev. Jackson left behind more than memories.
“He left the tools needed to carry on his legacy for generations to come,” Yusef Jackson said. Responding to questions about what the city, nation and world should do now, he urged people to “learn the work and life of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson. Follow the path that he offered. He was a trailblazer. He cut down trees and made a path for you.”
He said that path included voter registration, education and efforts to end poverty.
“He left the tools for us to do the work that he was doing. Study him, follow in his footsteps and together we can make the world a better place,” Yusef Jackson said.
At several points, he and his brothers paused to compose themselves. Congressman Jonathan Jackson acknowledged he is “a crier” and struggled through portions of his remarks. Jackson Jr. also fought back emotion as he reflected on his father’s final hours.
Jonathan Jackson described his father as a “long-distance runner,” a phrase Rev. Jackson often used to characterize the sustained struggle for justice and equality. He said the race does not end with his father’s passing but must now be taken up by the next generation.
The siblings said their mother, Jacqueline Jackson, remained by her husband’s side until his final moments. Santita Jackson said simply, “God took him home.”
Jackson Jr. criticized what he described as social media portrayals that he said reduced his father’s global stature.
“Social media made him more controversial than he is, made him less multinational than he is. They made him from a side of town and not universal,” Jackson Jr. said, noting that King Charles III of the United Kingdom issued a statement honoring Rev. Jackson’s life.
He also pushed back against media narratives that focused primarily on political confrontations.
“History is going to be far kinder to Jesse Jackson than the life that he lived,” he said, quoting his mother.
Santita Jackson asked the public to keep the family in prayer.
“Prayer changes things. We would ask that you keep your family together because strong families are able to build a strong world,” she said.
She said one lesson reinforced by her father’s death is the breadth of support shown from “every walk of life.” She credited her father with having “the genius of being able to turn foes into friends” and keeping lines of communication open.
Ashley Jackson thanked supporters for their prayers and expressions of sympathy.
Congressman Jonathan Jackson emphasized that although his father never held public office, his impact was rooted in service. He recalled Rev. Jackson’s embrace of the slogan, “I Am Somebody,” calling it a declaration of self-dignity, and noted that his father’s enduring mantra, “Keep Hope Alive,” remains a charge to future generations.
Yusef Jackson said the family had been aware of his father’s declining health but that the loss was still emotionally difficult.
“God gave him extra innings,” he said. “It was important to extract the wisdom from him to make sure we were prepared for the work going forward.” He added that what sustained his father in his final days was not a desire for more life, but for more service.
Jackson Jr. said funeral arrangements are being finalized and that services, expected sometime next week, will be open to the public regardless of political affiliation. He described the planned memorial as a national and international gathering and urged that it be conducted with respect.
As cameras continued to roll and supporters gathered nearby, the Jackson children made clear that while their father’s voice has fallen silent, the work he championed — from voting rights to economic justice — will continue.