Activists, journalists and elected officials across generations are reflecting on the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s lasting influence and the ongoing work his legacy demands, following his death early Tuesday at his home in Chicago.
The civil rights leader, 84, whose campaigns and coalition-building efforts reshaped modern American politics, leaves behind a legacy of advocacy work that continues to inspire.
James Williams, who has been entrenched in Chicago politics and covered Jackson’s second presidential campaign in 1988, remembers him as a ubiquitous presence.
“At the end of the day, he was just passionate about his work,” Williams, a CBS News reporter, said. “He was passionate about social justice. He was passionate about pushing for equality.”
“You have to be driven by something like that to do the kind of work that he did, and to be as relentless and as tireless as he was.”
Jackson’s work spanned from working alongside the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to advocating for voting rights, racial justice and economic opportunity. A longtime Chicago resident, he made the city his home when he led the Chicago branch of SCLC’s Operation Breadbasket from the spring of 1966 to the summer of 1967.
He created Operation PUSH in December 1971 and founded the National Rainbow Coalition in April 1986. The organizations merged to create the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in September 1996, and he served as president until 2023. Adding to that two presidential runs in 1984 and 1988, Jackson’s work earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in August 2000.
Myles Hollingsworth, a senior political science major at Howard University, witnessed Jackson up close as a hands-on leader. His late godmother and mentor, Hazel Dukes, was a prominent civil rights ally to Jackson, and both were connected to the National Action Network.
Hollingsworth, president of the NAACP New York State Youth and College Division, recalls working for Jotaka Eaddy, founder of Win With Black Women and a longtime mentee within Jackson’s movement circle. While working for Eaddy at Full Circle Strategies, Hollingsworth noted that Jackson was deeply involved in every aspect of their work.
“Someone in such a high position being so involved in boots-on-the-ground work throughout his entire career and entire life was super inspiring for not only me, but all the other young people who worked for Jotaka Eaddy and Win With Black Women,” Hollingsworth said.
JaLynn Davis, a legal professional and social justice advocate, considered Jackson as a trusted mentor throughout her life. She reflected on his civil rights teachings as a living testament to where Black people came from.
“I wasn’t just processing the loss of a mentor. I was processing the loss of a living bridge to history,” Davis said. “It’s hard to accept that someone who carried so much strength, wisdom and lived experience is no longer physically here.”
Clarence Anthony, CEO and executive director of the National League of Cities, began his public service in 1984 as mayor of South Bay, Florida, inspired by Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign. He went on to serve in that role for 24 years.
“I was inspired by him and his priorities about housing, jobs and opportunities for all residents that were citizens of America,” Anthony said. “He has always had and always will have a special part of my journey to become a public servant.”
Anthony recalled attending an event where Jackson led his powerful “I Am Somebody” poem. He described it as an affirmation for self-worth and a reminder to marginalized communities that their voices mattered.
“That poem made everyone feel that no matter where they are today, tomorrow will be brighter for everyone in that room,” he said. “Leaving that event, I knew that I am somebody.”
He also said Jackson’s legacy should serve as both inspiration and obligation for today’s leaders.
“Jesse Jackson provided that stimulus, that ‘spark plug’ during his life to make all of us have this sense of hope — that ‘I can do it as well,’” Anthony said.
“Today’s leaders must recognize that we have to stay inspired, remain committed to inclusivity and stand up for what is right in America, especially for those who are not at the table.”
Another leader who was inspired by Jackson is Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson.
Wilson represents Florida’s 24th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, a position she began in 2013.
She said Jackson’s example shaped the way she defines leadership and public service.
“Whether addressing the nation or standing shoulder to shoulder with community members on the ground, he infused every moment with hope and urgency,” Wilson said.
“His ability to connect national policy to local impact shaped my own approach to leadership. He reminded us that every ballot cast, every dream realized, and every act of courage moves us closer to the just society we seek.”
Wilson pointed to specific moments in her work with Jackson that shaped her understanding of advocacy. She highlighted organizing at the Krome Detention Center in Miami, which houses immigration detainees.
She also noted their partnership in supporting Haitian refugees who fled political instability and natural disasters in the 1980s and 1990s.
“Reverend Jackson taught me that public service is not ceremonial; it is personal,” she said. “He showed me that leadership means being willing to stand in the gap for those whose voices are too often ignored. That example deepened my understanding that service is action, not just intention.”
Jackson’s advocacy spanned voting rights, fair housing and access to education, addressing systemic racial and economic inequality. Many of these challenges, including health-care and criminal justice disparities, remain unsolved.
His example demonstrated that being a politician means getting involved in the hard work, facing challenges head-on and serving communities that are often ignored.
Oliver Gilbert is the Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 1 and a former mayor of Miami Gardens.
He said that today’s leaders must move beyond words and actively live the principles Jackson fought for.
“Current leaders have a responsibility to do more than quote him,” Gilbert said. “We have to live by the principles he stood for. That means speaking the truth even when it is inconvenient. It means building unlikely alliances. It means remembering that policy is personal for the people affected by it.”
Gilbert emphasized that bringing Jackson’s vision to life requires more than just words; it demands action, courage and commitment. He said his legacy is not just history; it is a call to action for the present and the future.
“His vision of a broad coalition that brought together people across race and class was about recognizing shared struggles,” Gilbert said. “Today, opportunity is still too often determined by Zip code. Too many families are still one emergency away from a crisis. That tells me the work is not finished.”
Morgan Knight, D.J. Harding and Dru Strand are reporters for HUNewsService.com. Visuals editor Keith Golden Jr. and features editor Taylor Swinton also contributed to this project.
