New Jersey Leaders Reflect on the Life and Impact of Civil Rights Icon Rev. Jesse Jackson
The US mourns Rev. Jesse Jackson, a leading civil rights leader. Jackson died Tuesday at 84, ending more than 60 years of civil rights, economic justice, and political empowerment struggle. Elected officials, community leaders, and longstanding activists in New Jersey are commemorating his national significance and firsthand involvement in local conflicts that shaped towns.
Jackson began involvement in the 1960s as a student at North Carolina A&T State University. He worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. after sitting in during the civil rights struggle. Jackson commanded Operation Breadbasket in Chicago and was feet away when King was killed at the Lorraine Motel in 1968. Jackson continued protesting and appearing on political stages after that tipping point.
Jackson launched many organizations to increase economic opportunity and political representation. He founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in 1971, which became Rainbow PUSH Coalition. The organization promoted corporate accountability, voting rights, and economic fairness nationwide.
New Jersey politicians said Jackson never ignored local battles despite his national fame. State Sen. Britnee Timberlake recalls a crucial occasion when Essex County College risked accreditation loss. Jackson visited the Newark campus when students who relied on the university for opportunities were hesitant. Timberlake said his participation changed the argument from a financial issue to a moral cause about fairness, decency, and equitable education for working-class Black and brown youngsters.
Jackson’s Newark connection went beyond policy. He joined grieving relatives and community leaders during Whitney Houston’s 2012 funeral in Newark, her hometown. His appearance showed his longtime relationships with the city and its citizens.
Jackson won millions of votes and numerous state primaries and caucuses as a Democrat in his presidential campaign. Though he lost the nomination, his 1984 and 1988 campaigns increased marginalized voter turnout and changed the Democratic Party’s representation strategy. New Jersey leaders credit those initiatives with enabling political participation in later decades.
According to Elizabeth’s Salaam Ismial, Jackson’s presidential campaigns’ alternate delegate and Union County campaign manager, Black Americans felt pride and dignity. His slogan, “Keep Hope Alive,” resonated across generations.
Newark’s People’s Organization for Progress founder and chairman Lawrence Hamm called Jackson a towering figure who blended protest with political strategy. Jackson’s presidential campaigns changed the Democratic Party from a winner-take-all delegate system to proportional representation, empowering Black voters and making politics more inclusive, Hamm said.
Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey said Jackson continuously upheld human dignity and felt justice should include repentance and second chances. Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark recalled watching Jackson’s presidential campaigns as a youth and crediting him with inspiring many Americans. Baraka said Jackson’s national politics breakthrough prepared the path for future leaders like Obama.
Jackson left a monumental legacy, according to Newark NAACP president Deborah Smith Gregory. He pushed generations of children to believe in their own worth, especially during a time of significant structural impediments, she said. Camden City Councilman Chris Collins said Jackson’s effect crossed generations and cultures.
Jackson later participated in public debates about Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown and fought for voting rights and economic fairness. President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000 for his civil rights and humanitarian work.
Community leaders across New Jersey say Jackson’s death is a reflection and reminder of unfinished work. Zellie Thomas of Black Lives Matter Paterson said his death inspired her to fight for justice.
Rev. Jesse Jackson lived by determination, public service, and hope in hard times. From civil rights marches to presidential campaigns and New Jersey battles, he worked to empower underprivileged communities. As tributes flow in, state officials agree: his voice shaped American history and will be felt for centuries.
Sources:
NJ.com
Official biography and records related to the Presidential Medal of Freedom (U.S. federal records)
