How we photographed thousands gathered for viewing of Rev. Jesse Jackson
This week’s top photo comes from photojournalist and Photo Desk Editor Ashlee Rezin. Follow her on X and Instagram.
What makes this photo important?
When the Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke, people listened. His ability to command a room was renowned. His impact and historical significance are unquestionable. It was an honor to photograph him over the years during my career as a photojournalist in Chicago. It was also a privilege to document the thousands who came from all over the country to pay their respects on the first of two days the civil rights leader was lying in repose at his nonprofit, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
How I got this photo
Hundreds of mourners were lined up at 10 a.m. Thursday, waiting for Jackson’s family and Rainbow PUSH to open the doors to the public. As the moment drew nearer, Pam Hooks, who traveled to Chicago the day before from Cocoa, Florida, started Jackson’s empowering and rhythmic chant, “I am somebody!” As members of the crowd joined her in the chant and raised their fists to the sky, Hooks turned her eyes upward. I dropped down to one knee so that trees, buildings and surrounding neighborhood in the background wouldn’t interfere with the subject matter.
Technical details:
Equipment: Canon EOS R5 with an RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM lens
Mourners stand in line to enter the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to pay their respects to Rev. Jesse Jackson as he lies in repose at his South Side nonprofit on Friday.
Anthony Vasquez/Sun-Times
Hundreds of people lined up along South Drexel Boulevard from East 50th Street outside Operation Rainbow PUSH’s headquarters in Kenwood to pay their respects to the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson on Friday.
Anthony Vasquez/Sun-Times
Jesse Jackson Jr. hugs a supporter outside the Rainbow PUSH Coalition as hundreds of mourners wait in line to pay their respects to his father, Rev. Jesse Jackson, while he lies in repose at his South Side nonprofit on Friday.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Flanked by family members, Rev. Jesse Jackson’s children, (from left) Jesse Jackson Jr., U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, Ashley Jackson, Yusef DuBois Jackson (holding tissue) and Santita Jackson, look on as pallbearers prepare to carry the casket for their father into the Rainbow PUSH Coalition for him to lie in repose Thursday.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Flanked by children and family members, Jacqueline Jackson (in green) looks on as pallbearers carry the casket for her husband, Rev. Jesse Jackson, into the Rainbow PUSH Coalition for him to lie in repose at his South Side nonprofit on Thursday.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Mayor Brandon Johnson hugs a supporter outside the Rainbow PUSH Coalition as hundreds of mourners pay their respects to Rev. Jesse Jackson while he lies in repose at his South Side nonprofit on Thursday.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Spencer Leak Jr. sits in the Rev. A. Patterson Jackson Chapel at Leak & Sons Funeral Home on the South Side. For decades, the Leak family and the Jacksons were “intertwined.” Now, the family behind the long-time funeral business is tasked with planning and executing Jackson’s services and handling his remains.
Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Stacy Leak wears a Rainbow PUSH Coalition pin as he stands with his brother Spencer Leak Jr. at their family business, Leak & Sons Funeral Home, on the South Side on Wednesday.
Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
People attend the Saturday Morning Forum at Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Kenwood, where religious leaders and family paid tribute to Rev. Jesse Jackson on Feb. 21.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Yusef DuBois Jackson, son of Rev. Jesse Jackson and chief operating officer of Rainbow PUSH Coalition, attends the Saturday Morning Forum on Feb. 21 at Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Kenwood, where religious leaders and family paid tribute to Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Vehicles travel on the Eisenhower Expressway near the Cicero CTA train station Wednesday.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
A worker changes paperwork on a dog cage at Chicago Animal Care & Control at 2741 S. Western Ave. on the South Side on Wednesday.
Giacomo Cain/Sun-Times
A dog stands in its cage at Chicago Animal Care & Control at 2741 S. Western Ave. on the South Side on Wednesday.
Giacomo Cain/Sun-Times
A man plays with a cat at Chicago Animal Care & Control at 2741 S. Western Ave. on the South Side on Wednesday.
Giacomo Cain/Sun-Times
A fleet of Waymo self-driving vehicles with Arizona plates sit parked in a garage at 210 N. Wells St. in the Loop on Tuesday.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Gov. JB Pritzker speaks about plans to revitalize the Hotel Florence in Pullman on the Far South Side on Tuesday.
Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Keshia Golden, shown Monday at The Freedom Defense Center of Austin Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation in Austin, is claiming self-defense in the 2022 killing of her child’s father, Calvin Sidney.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Oksana Koledova, owner of a Ukrainian grocery store called Varenychok at 4840 N. Cumberland Ave., holds up a photo Monday of her bother Havrylo Moroz, who served with the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk region.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
A Portillo’s Hot Dog location at 520 W. Taylor St. in the West Loop.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Demolition began Monday for a building at 1224 W. Loyola Ave. in Rogers Park.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Jocelyne Robledo and Ray Collins of Englewood were charged last fall with assaulting federal officers. A grand jury refused to indict the couple, and prosecutors wound up dropping the charges.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Brandi Carlile performs at Allstate Arena in Rosemont on Friday.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Melissa Zeman, owner of BottlesUp!, sits in a chair her Lake View store while holding her favorite champagne.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Students Emilio Zurita, Arichely Mendina, teacher Jose Torres and student Geovani Jaimes stand in a classroom at Aspira Business & Finance High School at 2989 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Avondale on Wednesday. Chicago Public Schools plans to transition students out of the financially distressed Aspira charter school network.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Evanston-based economist Jeff Cohen, running in the March 17 Democratic primary for the 9th Congressional District, sits at Rogers Park Taproom on Thursday. Cohen met an American Israel Public Affairs Committee representative in this Chicago coffee shop last fall about possibly gaining the powerful lobbying group’s backing. But Cohen suspects he turned off the organization by favoring increased scrutiny of Israel.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Gary Clark Jr. performs at Buddy Guy’s Legends on Feb. 21.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Buddy Guy joins guitarist Gary Clark Jr. on stage for a performance at Buddy Guy’s Legends on Feb. 21.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
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