Ancestry, Advocacy, and the American Soul: The Jackson Family’s Stewardship of a Global Legacy
- Karen Brittingham-Edmond
- 3 hours ago
- 6 min read
27 February 2026
ECHO News TV LLC: Memorial Reflection
Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. Civil Rights Icon and Mentee of Rev Martin Luther King Jr.
Front Page Picture Source: Samuel Yongbo Kwon Unsplash
MONTGOMERY, AL — Standing amidst the haunting, suspended steel columns of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. did more than offer a prayer; he provided a masterclass in historical continuity. As the nation now gathers in Chicago and across the country to bid farewell to the late civil rights icon, The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) thought it not robbery to share Jackson's April 26, 2018 dedication share on their EJI Youtube station on February 17, 2026. Jackson's 2018 dedication annoucement in Montgomery that served as one of the most profound "last speaking addresses" on why the American experiment depends entirely on an honest accounting of its past, is both heart convicting and thought provoking. 'Memorial services for Rev. Jesse Jackson begin in Chicago as family calls for 'unity' https://abcnews.com/US/memorial-services-rev-jesse-jackson-begin-chicago-family/story?id=130524805
The Power of the Fourth Generation
During his dedication at the memorial—a site that visually documents the thousands of Black Americans lost to racial terror—Jackson challenged his audience to look beyond the immediate present. He invoked the biblical concept of "forty-two generations," urging Black citizens to identify the works and lives of their "grandparents' grandparents."
Jackson’s logic was both spiritual and sociopolitical: to understand the necessity of the Civil War, one must understand the specific humanity of those who fought it. He argued that the war was not merely a clash of abstract states’ rights, but a victory earned by the sweat and blood of formerly enslaved and free Negro citizens. These individuals, Jackson noted, possessed a crystalline clarity regarding their adversaries and their mission.
"If you remember the whereas," Jackson remarked, "the therefore begins to make sense."
For Jackson, the "whereas" is the 246 years of the slave trade, where human beings were treated as financial assets. The "therefore" is the modern necessity for civil rights, economic justice, and affirmative action. By connecting today's youth to their ancestors of the 1860s, Jackson sought to bridge a gap of identity that he believed was essential for true psychological and political liberation.
The Architect of the Modern Gate: From Civil Rights to Immigration
Perhaps the most intellectually stimulating portion of Jackson’s legacy is the direct link between the Black freedom struggle and the very fabric of modern American diversity. Jackson and his family have long emphasized that the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (Hart-Celler Act) was not an isolated legislative fluke, but a direct fruit of the Civil Rights Movement.
Prior to this landmark law, America operated under a 1920s quota system that strictly favored primary White immigrants from Northern Europe. People of color from Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean were largely barred from entry. It was the moral pressure and legal precedents set by leaders like Jackson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that dismantled these race-based barriers.
The Catalyst: The Civil Rights Movement proved that race-based exclusion was unconstitutional and un-American.
The Result: The 1965 Act removed "national origin" as a barrier, allowing the "immigrant flock" we see today—seeking prosperity and human rights—to actually enter the country.
Without the "vertebrae" of the movement, the multicultural America of the 21st century would likely not exist.
A Family United in "The People’s Celebration"
As the Jackson family stands in repose at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters in Chicago, their composure reflects the "broad spectrum" of the man they lost. Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. passed away on February 17 at age 84, having battled Parkinson’s disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) with the same grit he brought to the picket lines in the 1960s.
His children, including Jesse Jackson Jr., have emerged not just as mourners, but as guardians of a non-partisan legacy. During a press conference ahead of the homegoing services, Jackson Jr. issued a poignant call for unity that echoed his father’s "Rainbow" philosophy.
The Road to the Final Homegoing
The schedule for the Reverend’s final journey reflects his impact on the corridors of power and the streets of the marginalized:
Monday, March 2, 2026: Lying in honor at the South Carolina State House (his birthplace) 11:00 A.M.-4:30 P.M.
Wednesday, March 4, 2026: Formal funeral service in Washington, D.C.
Friday, March 6, 2026: "The People’s Celebration" in Chicago 10:00 A.M.
Saturday, March 7, 2026: A private final homegoing service.
"Dad would have wanted us to have a great meeting to discuss our differences," Jesse Jackson Jr. stated, urging Republicans, Democrats, liberals, and conservatives alike to attend. He noted that his father’s life was "broad enough to cover the full spectrum of what it means to be an American."
Healing the Land
Jackson’s prayer in Montgomery concluded with a reflection on 2 Chronicles 7:14, a call for a nation to "humble themselves" and "turn from their wicked ways." He reminded those present that reconciliation is impossible without removing the "glass in the wound"—the remnants of systemic racism that still fester.
As flags fly at half-staff from New York to South Carolina, the message of the Jackson family remains clear: The best tribute to the Reverend is not a monument of stone, but a continued commitment to education, healthcare, and the memory of those grandparents who dreamed of a freedom they never lived to see.
References:
Accomplishments of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in the 21st Century:
The legacy of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, particularly in the 21st century, represents a sophisticated evolution from the street protests of the 1960s to the corporate boardrooms of the modern era. Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. famously transitioned his strategy from "picketing to policy," recognizing that true freedom requires a "seat at the table" where capital and technology are distributed.
The Wall Street Project: Diversifying the Global Economy
Launched in 1997, the Wall Street Project (WSP) became the flagship of Jackson’s 21st-century economic strategy. Moving beyond simple boycotts, Jackson utilized the power of the shareholder to advocate for inclusion. By purchasing stock in major corporations, he gained the legal right to attend annual meetings and challenge CEOs on their diversity records directly from the microphone.
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs): The WSP successfully advocated for minority-owned financial firms to serve as underwriters for massive global IPOs. These included household names like Google (2004), Visa (2008), and Facebook (2012).
Boardroom Representation: Rainbow PUSH consistently pressured Fortune 500 companies to end the "all-white, all-male" composition of their boards, arguing that diversity is not just a moral imperative but a fiduciary duty to shareholders.
Silicon Valley: The New Frontier of Equity
In the last decade, Jackson shifted focus to the technology sector, identifying it as the primary engine of modern wealth creation. He was a frequent presence at the headquarters of Apple, Google, and Meta, pushing for "transparency in numbers."
Data Accountability: Before Rainbow PUSH’s intervention, most tech giants did not release workforce diversity data. Jackson’s pressure helped make the publication of annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) reports a standard industry practice.
Supplier Diversity: The Coalition fought to ensure that the multi-billion dollar "trade deficit" with minority vendors was addressed, pushing tech firms to hire Black-owned law firms, advertising agencies, and security companies.
Key Economic Initiatives of the 21st Century
Initiative | Primary Goal | Major Impact |
The Wall Street Project | Inclusion in financial services | Involved minority firms in the IPOs of Goldman Sachs, Prudential, and Snap Inc. |
Silicon Valley Project | Diversity in the tech workforce | Forced transparency in hiring data and increased minority participation in "deal flow." |
Automotive Project | Equity in the car industry | Forged partnerships to increase the number of minority-owned dealerships and executive hires. |
One Thousand Churches Connected | Financial literacy | Provided mortgage and debt-management training to underserved communities through religious networks. |
The "Stage Four" of Freedom
As Rev. Jackson often noted, the struggle for civil rights moved through distinct stages. We are currently in Stage Four, which he defined as the battle for "access to capital, industry, technology, and deal flow." He believed that while Stage Three (the right to vote) was won on the bridge in Selma, Stage Four must be won by ensuring that the American economy "looks like the American people."
"Just as America did not realize how good professional sports could be until athletes of all colors could play, American business will not maximize its growth potential until all businesses have an equal opportunity to compete." — Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.
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