Three former U.S. presidents will gather in Chicago this Friday to pay their respects to civil rights icon Jesse Jackson, who passed away last month at age 84.
Former Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton are scheduled to attend the public memorial service alongside thousands of other mourners at the House of Hope, a venue with 10,000 seats located on Chicago’s South Side.
Jackson dedicated his life to championing voting rights and fighting against segregation throughout his 84 years.
This Friday’s ceremony is anticipated to be the most significant tribute celebrating Jackson’s life and contributions to American society.
Current President Donald Trump will be absent from the service due to scheduling conflicts and other commitments, according to a White House representative.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who is scheduled to deliver remarks at the service, stated: “Rev. Jackson will be remembered for his oratory prowess, but in Chicago we knew him as a brilliant strategist, master negotiator and organizing savant.”
The guest list also includes former First Ladies Jill Biden and Hillary Clinton, the latter having served as Secretary of State. Musical performances will feature Jennifer Hudson, BeBe Winans, and Pastor Marvin Winans, event organizers announced.
Some scholars view the gathering of prominent Democratic figures as a response to the current administration’s stance on diversity and civil rights programs.
The Trump administration has rolled back various diversity initiatives and has criticized educational materials about slavery that it considers “anti-American.” The administration has also endorsed reinstating Confederate monuments that honor Civil War leaders who defended slavery.
University of Chicago American history professor Jane Dailey explained: “It’s fair to interpret the attention that this event is getting as speaking back to the people who are complaining about diversity.”
Commemorative activities started in Chicago the previous week, attracting elected leaders, activists, and local residents. Jackson’s remains were also displayed for public viewing in South Carolina, his birthplace.
As a powerful orator and long-time Chicago resident, Jackson became a central figure in America’s civil rights movement following Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968. For more than fifty years, he worked tirelessly to eliminate segregation and expand political participation for African Americans and other underrepresented groups.
Jackson’s two bids for the presidency energized millions of new voters through his “Rainbow Coalition” movement, compelling the Democratic Party to focus on issues important to working families, agricultural communities, and people of color.
Professor Dailey noted: “He pried open windows for other people in his insistence on opening the political process to more and more people.”
