The Rev. Jesse Jackson “died peacefully” Feb. 17, his family said during a news conference. He was 84.
Jackson is a Chicago icon known for his work as a civil rights leader. “All are welcome” for services scheduled this week, according to his family.
When are services?
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., a Divine Nine fraternity that Jackson belonged to, will hold a celebration of life service at 5 p.m. Thursday at Rainbow PUSH’s Kenwood headquarters. Grand officers, district officers and various members of the fraternity will be in attendance, said a district representative.
A “People’s Celebration” in Chicago will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, at House of Hope, 752 E. 114th St. Doors open at 9 a.m. Additional parking will be available at nearby businesses. Shuttles will transport people to the venue.
Janet Pickett, general manager at House of Hope, said the church is planning for more than 9,000 people to attend. The venue seats 9,600. There is no word yet on who will lead the services, she said. Ushers and personnel for the event will be staffed by House of Hope and Rainbow PUSH.
Private homegoing services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at Rainbow PUSH.
Dr. Charles Jenkins, pastor of Rev. Jackson’s home church, Fellowship Baptist Church will co-officiate both services with the Rev. James T. Meeks, the emeritus pastor of Salem Baptist Missionary Church. A news release said that the two “are close, trusted friends of the Jackson family and will lead services featuring family, local, national and international leaders, along with entertainers scheduled to perform musical selections.”
Participants at the celebrations will include singer and actress Jennifer Hudson and gospel singers Bebe Winans and Pastor Marvin Winans, according to the news release. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker also will give speeches.
Former Democratic presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are expected to attend the Friday service. The Jackson family also invited President Donald Trump and former president George W. Bush, but it’s unclear whether they are planning to attend.
Relatives of Jackson said that “all are welcome,” regardless of political party.
“Do not bring your politics, out of respect to Rev. Jesse Jackson and the life that he lived, to these homegoing services. They come respectful and come to say thank you,” Jesse Jackson Jr. said during a media event in front of the Jackson family home. “But these homegoing services are welcome to all — Democrat, Republican, liberal and conservative, right wing, left wing, because his life is broad enough to cover the full spectrum of what it means to be an American.”
The family will livestream all services at JesseJacksonLegacy.com.
What services have already taken place to honor Rev. Jackson?
In Chicago, Jackson lay in repose on Feb. 26 and 27 at Rainbow PUSH.
On Monday, a full day of recognition took place at and near the South Carolina state capitol. He lay in repose at the statehouse in Columbia before private, public and church services took place throughout the day. A formal service at 10 a.m. was followed by a tribute service at the Brookland Baptist Church.
Sprays of flowers announced him as “Son of South Carolina,” as lines of people waited to pay their respects.
Greenville’s state representative, Chandra Dillard, thanked his children for “bringing their dad back to South Carolina.”
How have Chicagoans paid their respects?
Thousands gathered at Rainbow PUSH headquarters last week to pay their respects to Jackson. The family procession arrived after 8 a.m. As the morning wore on, hundreds were lined up to show their gratitude for Jackson and be a part of a historical moment.
Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Rev. Al Sharpton were in attendance Thursday to pay their respects.
“We spent a lifetime together,” Sharpton said outside Rainbow PUSH headquarters. “He raised a generation of us, and he never gave up, even when he was sick.”
Crowds included several Black youth who were inspired by Jackson to be more present in their community.
Among them was Nadiyah Spikener, 24, who said Jackson’s death could be a catalyst for young people to learn more about their history.
“This may be a moment to realize that maybe we need to do more for ourselves, and do more for our community like he has, and just start somewhere,” she said.
What hotels are recommended for those traveling to Chicago for the events?
Those traveling to Chicago to attend services are encouraged to stay at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Chicago at 2233 S. Martin Luther King Drive, according to the family’s website. Rooms at the hotel have been reserved within a hotel block, with limited availability.
Where can people park?
For those hoping to attend the Jackson lying in repose events, street parking is available at Rainbow PUSH on South Drexel Boulevard, East 49th Street, East Hyde Park Boulevard and East 49th Street.
For the People’s Celebration, parking will be available at House of Hope’s parking lot on 113th Street.
What security measures will be in place?
At each event, security checks and magnetometers will be in place. To smooth the process, the Jackson family’s website asks that individuals limit items they bring with them. Weapons, signs and any items that could disrupt services are prohibited.
For more information on the scheduled services visit jessejacksonlegacy.com.
Where will the Rev. Jesse Jackson be buried?
Jackson will be buried at Oak Woods Cemetery, the largest cemetery on the South Side, in Greater Grand Crossing. Former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, journalist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens are among the notables buried there.
How did he die?
While his family has not given an official cause of death nor said where he died, Jackson had been declining in health for a decade before his death. In 2015, Jackson was initially diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but he revealed last April that he actually had progressive supranuclear palsy.
How is the political world reacting to his death?
Political figures from across the country have weighed in to pay their respects and honor his legacy.
In a joint statement, former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama wrote: “Michelle and I will always be grateful for Jesse’s lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share. We stood on his shoulders. We send our deepest condolences to the Jackson family and everyone in Chicago and beyond who knew and loved him.”
President Donald Trump also extended his sympathies to Jackson’s family in a statement posted to Truth Social last week.
“I knew him well, long before becoming President,” he said. “He was very gregarious — Someone who truly loved people! Despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left, Democrats ALL, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way.”
Chicago leaders, including Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker, also shared their condolences.
“In honor of Rev. Jackson’s service, and as our city mourns, the Chicago flag will lower to half-staff,” Johnson wrote in a statement.
Pritzker also ordered all flags across the state to fly at half-staff to honor him in a statement posted on social media.
“He broke down barriers, inspired generations, and kept hope alive. Our state, nation, and world are better due to his years of service,” Pritzker said.
How are Chicagoans reacting to his death?
Across the city, Chicago residents mourned Jackson’s death and urged that his legacy continue.
Martin Travis, a congregant of Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn, said in his youth, his parents brought him to demonstrations organized by Operation Breadbasket, a movement Jackson led.
Now, 64, Travis remembers Jackson as “instrumental in fighting for justice and freedom for all people.”
Chloe Gould, 41, a Bronzeville resident, said that his death hit “like you lost a family member.”
In the wake of his death, she said she worries about the future of civil rights activism, as other activists and leaders have not stepped in to fill his shoes.
“Who is gonna be the civil rights activist now?” she asked.