Celebration of life for Jesse Jackson to draw former presidents and Grammy-winning artists
Source: AP
By SOPHIA TAREEN
Updated 8:24 AM CST, March 6, 2026
CHICAGO (AP) Three former U.S. presidents, Grammy-winning artists, clergy and elected officials are expected to attend a Chicago celebration of life on Friday for the late Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.
The event honoring the protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate follows memorial services that drew large crowds in Chicago and South Carolina, where the civil rights leader was born.
The Chicago celebration at an influential Black church with a 10,000-seat arena is anticipated to be the largest. Former Democratic U.S. Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton, along with former Vice President Kamala Harris, are listed as speakers on the program, according to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the organization that Jackson founded. The musical lineup includes gospel singer BeBe Winans.
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, the civil rights leaders son Jesse Jackson Jr. said 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.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/jesse-jackson-chicago-memorial-civil-rights-263587cbc73df9ff9e30857aba60d492
SheltieLover
(79,583 posts)Martin68
(27,515 posts)Deuxcents
(26,475 posts)electric_blue68
(26,710 posts)Initech
(108,466 posts)Because our current president is such a sadistic and vindictive psycho that he isn't allowed anywhere in actual society other than his shitty news channels.
SheltieLover
(79,583 posts)Initech
(108,466 posts)Racist pos.
LibinMo
(567 posts)I didnt tune in until the middle of Obamas speech. It was wonderful & so uplifting to hear instead of the TV garbage masquerading as news that weve been subjected to since Trump. Im hoping that one of the networks will run the complete celebration tonight