{"id":32314,"date":"2026-03-06T03:48:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T08:48:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/high-profile-leaders-to-honor-rev-jesse-jackson-at-chicago-memorial-service\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T03:48:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T08:48:49","slug":"high-profile-leaders-to-honor-rev-jesse-jackson-at-chicago-memorial-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/high-profile-leaders-to-honor-rev-jesse-jackson-at-chicago-memorial-service\/","title":{"rendered":"High-Profile Leaders to Honor Rev. Jesse Jackson at Chicago Memorial Service"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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CHICAGO \u2014 A distinguished gathering of political leaders, Grammy-winning musicians, religious figures and elected officials will come together Friday in Chicago to honor the legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., the renowned civil rights leader who died last month.<\/p>

The tribute ceremony for the Martin Luther King Jr. prot\u00e9g\u00e9 and former two-time presidential hopeful comes after previous memorial gatherings that attracted substantial attendance in both Chicago and South Carolina, Jackson’s birthplace.<\/p>

Friday’s Chicago memorial \u2014 taking place at a prominent African American church featuring a 10,000-capacity venue \u2014 is projected to be the most well-attended. The Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the organization Jackson established, confirmed that former Democratic presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton will be present, along with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Gospel artist BeBe Winans is among the scheduled musical performers.<\/p>

“These homegoing services are welcome to all. Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative, right wing, left wing because his life is broad enough to cover the full spectrum of what it means to be an American,” Jackson’s son, Jesse Jackson Jr., stated last month. “Dad would have wanted us to have a great meeting to discuss our differences, to find ways of moving forward and moving together.”<\/p>

The veteran civil rights activist passed away last month at 84 following his struggle with a uncommon neurological condition that impacted his movement and speech capabilities. According to family members, he remained active at his office until the previous year and used hand gestures to communicate. Among his last public appearances was the 2024 Democratic National Convention held in Chicago.<\/p>

Jackson’s endeavors spanned the globe as he championed causes for disadvantaged and marginalized communities, focusing on voting access, healthcare, employment opportunities and educational advancement. He achieved diplomatic successes with international leaders and utilized the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to transform calls for African American empowerment and self-reliance into corporate accountability, pushing business leaders toward creating a more inclusive and fair society.<\/p>

Memorial services held in Chicago and South Carolina brought together community leaders, student organizations and ordinary citizens who expressed how Jackson’s initiatives \u2014 from educational scholarships to prisoner advocacy \u2014 had impacted their lives. Multiple states lowered their flags to half-staff as a mark of respect.<\/p>

Plans for Washington, D.C. services were postponed after House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected a request to have Jackson lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol rotunda, citing that tradition generally limits such recognition to specific officials, including former presidents. Information about any future Washington event has not been released.<\/p>

During Jackson’s final months, he welcomed numerous visitors to Chicago, including the Clintons and Rev. Al Sharpton, who also participated in last week’s Chicago memorial service.<\/p>

“He has been the central mentor of my life,” Sharpton remarked. “The challenge for us that we’ve got to make sure that all he lived for was not in vain.”<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three former presidents and other dignitaries will gather in Chicago Friday to pay tribute to civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., who passed away last month at 84. The memorial service is expected to be the largest of several held to honor the two-time presidential candidate and prot\u00e9g\u00e9 of Martin Luther King Jr.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":32313,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[833],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772786927924.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbtNqq-8pc","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27630,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/chicago-begins-multi-city-memorial-services-for-civil-rights-icon-jesse-jackson\/","url_meta":{"origin":32314,"position":0},"title":"Chicago Begins Multi-City Memorial Services for Civil Rights Icon Jesse Jackson","author":"Admin","date":"February 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Memorial services for Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. commence Thursday in Chicago, where the civil rights leader and former presidential candidate will lie in repose at his Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters. The 84-year-old activist died last week after battling a neurological disorder, prompting tributes from around the world.","rel":"","context":"In "U.S. News"","block_context":{"text":"U.S. News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/us-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772083968099.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772083968099.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772083968099.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772083968099.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":32435,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/three-former-presidents-set-to-honor-jesse-jackson-at-chicago-memorial\/","url_meta":{"origin":32314,"position":1},"title":"Three Former Presidents Set to Honor Jesse Jackson at Chicago Memorial","author":"Admin","date":"March 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Former Presidents Biden, Obama, and Clinton will join thousands at a Chicago memorial service Friday for civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who passed away last month at 84. The service at the House of Hope will be the largest tribute to Jackson's decades-long advocacy for voting rights and social justice.","rel":"","context":"In "Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772798592843.jpg?fit=450%2C319&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":23575,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/rev-jesse-jackson-memorial-services-to-span-three-cities-including-nations-capital\/","url_meta":{"origin":32314,"position":2},"title":"Rev. Jesse Jackson Memorial Services to Span Three Cities Including Nation’s Capital","author":"Admin","date":"February 19, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Funeral arrangements for civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., who passed away this week at 84, have been expanded to include ceremonies in Washington D.C. and South Carolina. The longtime activist and two-time presidential candidate died after fighting a rare neurological condition that impaired his speech and movement.","rel":"","context":"In "Religious"","block_context":{"text":"Religious","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/religious\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771548333948.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771548333948.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771548333948.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771548333948.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":32808,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/chicago-memorial-service-friday-to-honor-civil-rights-icon-jesse-jackson\/","url_meta":{"origin":32314,"position":3},"title":"Chicago Memorial Service Friday to Honor Civil Rights Icon Jesse Jackson","author":"Admin","date":"March 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Civil rights champion Jesse Jackson will be remembered at a public memorial service in Chicago on Friday. Political figures, religious leaders, and entertainers are expected to pay their respects at the celebration of life ceremony.","rel":"","context":"In "U.S. News"","block_context":{"text":"U.S. News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/us-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772838213404.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":33039,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/jesse-jackson-family-holds-private-memorial-after-week-of-national-tributes\/","url_meta":{"origin":32314,"position":4},"title":"Jesse Jackson Family Holds Private Memorial After Week of National Tributes","author":"Admin","date":"March 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Following a public celebration attended by former presidents and dignitaries, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.'s family will gather for an intimate memorial service at his organization's Chicago headquarters. The private ceremony caps off a week of nationwide commemorations honoring the civil rights leader's legacy.","rel":"","context":"In "U.S. News"","block_context":{"text":"U.S. News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/us-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772861774366.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772861774366.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772861774366.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772861774366.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27741,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/chicago-prepares-memorial-services-for-civil-rights-icon-rev-jesse-jackson\/","url_meta":{"origin":32314,"position":5},"title":"Chicago Prepares Memorial Services for Civil Rights Icon Rev. 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Jackson, known for founding the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and running for president twice, died after battling Parkinson's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "U.S. News"","block_context":{"text":"U.S. News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/us-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772101894516.jpg?fit=450%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32314\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}