LISTEN: The Rev. Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84. The civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate had deep ties to Georgia, from marching alongside Martin Luther King Jr. to delivering one of the most memorable speeches in Atlanta political history. GPB’s Pamela Kirkland has more.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84.
The civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate had deep ties to Georgia, from marching alongside Martin Luther King Jr. to delivering one of the most memorable speeches in Atlanta political history.
In the 1960s, Jackson marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr., including the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery.
Jackson, an aide to King, was with the civil rights leader the day he was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn.
Jackson went on to run for president in the 1980s, first in 1984.
In 1988, Jackson returned to Georgia for the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta, where he delivered what became known as the “Keep Hope Alive” speech.
"We must never surrender," he said in his speech. "America will get better and better keep hope alive."
Jackson would go on to lose the nomination.
The Rev. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., remembered Jackson and her family's history with him.
“He was a gifted negotiator and a courageous bridge‑builder, serving humanity by bringing calm into tense rooms and creating pathways where none existed," she said in a statement after Jackson's death. “My family shares a long and meaningful history with him, rooted in a shared commitment to justice and love. As we grieve, we give thanks for a life that pushed hope into weary places.”
Reflecting on his legacy, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens called Jackson “a great friend to our city.”
Georgia U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock called him “an inspiration.”
"Here I was, a kid growing up in public housing, and I got to witness this Black man running for president," Warnock said. "He gave me a glimpse of what is possible, and he taught me how to say, 'I am somebody.'"
Dr. Jamal Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, in the east metro Atlanta area, also shared a statement touting Jackson for inspiring him.
"Rev. Jackson was my superhero," Bryant said. "While other boys my age wanted to be Michael Jordan, I wanted to be Jesse Jackson. His poise, passion and purpose was my blueprint. In sixth grade, I wore a 'Jackson for president' button every day and haven't turned back since."
