Rev. Jesse Jackson Lying in Repose | Day 2 | Rainbow Push
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Reverend Jackson's core message, 'I Am Somebody,' was a powerful affirmation for those treated as 'nobody,' profoundly impacting individuals from childhood to political office.
- ❖He was a global leader, sought by presidents and prime ministers for advice, demonstrating influence far beyond U.S. borders.
- ❖Jackson's activism evolved from 'burn, baby, burn' to 'learn, baby, learn,' emphasizing education and strategic action over destructive protest.
- ❖Operation Push, founded by Jackson, shifted its focus from 'saving humanity' to 'serving humanity,' promoting self-sufficiency and community control.
- ❖He championed economic empowerment, advocating for access to capital, jobs, and fair treatment for minority-led businesses and communities.
- ❖Jackson's political campaigns expanded voter registration and participation, particularly among marginalized groups, fundamentally changing the Democratic Party's coalition.
- ❖He viewed his work as a 'relay race,' passing the baton of activism to younger generations, emphasizing continuity and collective effort.
- ❖Jackson's personal background as the child of a teenage mother, adopted, and born without medical insurance, fueled his empathy and understanding for the disadvantaged.
- ❖He believed in the power of faith and prayer as foundational to social justice work, starting every meeting with prayer and drawing strength from his spiritual convictions.
Insights
1The Enduring Power of 'I Am Somebody'
Multiple speakers, including Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, emphasize how Reverend Jackson's simple phrase, 'I Am Somebody,' instilled a profound sense of dignity and self-worth in millions, particularly those marginalized by society. Stratton credits these words as foundational to her own journey to becoming the first Black Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, highlighting its role as a powerful mantra for overcoming adversity.
Juliana Stratton states, 'his words I am somebody when I was just a little girl to hear that and to receive those words and really understand that I am somebody. It was life-changing.' ()
2Global Statesman and Diplomat
Pastor Charles Jenkins and former Senator Jacqueline Collins recount Jackson's international influence, noting he was treated as a head of state abroad. Jenkins describes Jackson being sought by 50 African presidents for advice at an AU summit and by the head of the European Union to advise all European countries. Collins mentions his travel to Korea and Japan to address diversity issues with Mitsubishi, demonstrating his strategic engagement on a global scale.
Pastor Charles Jenkins: 'Presidents are asking me, 'Excuse me, sir. May I have the pleasure of speaking with Reverend Jackson?'... They were asking him to come to their countries to advise the entire country.' () and Jacqueline Collins: 'whenever he traveled outside the United States he was treated as a head of state everywhere he went.' ()
3Strategic Approach to Corporate Accountability
Bonita Estelle, former CFO of Rainbow Push, details Jackson's four-phase strategy for corporate accountability: research, education, negotiation, and retaliation (organizing boycotts/demonstrations). This systematic approach, exemplified by the BP boycott, aimed to expose deficits in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and then push for reconciliation and concrete changes, rather than just protest.
Bonita Estelle: 'first we would research and then we would educate... then we would negotiate... if there was not a plan in place... then that's when we would retaliate and we would organize.' ()
4Economic Empowerment as a Civil Right
Several speakers, including Pastor Michael Edy and Andrea Zop, emphasize Jackson's belief that economic empowerment is a fundamental civil right. He understood that access to capital, jobs, and fair business opportunities were crucial for community self-sufficiency, not just marching for political rights. This led to initiatives like the Wall Street Project, advocating for minority-led investment firms.
Andrea Zop: 'Reverend Jackson was also about you also have to make sure they have access to the lake that has the fish in it.' () and Pastor Michael Edy: 'He taught us that economic empowerment is a civil right.' ()
5Personal Background Fueling Public Service
Reverend Jackson openly shared his personal story—born to a teenage mother, adopted, and experiencing poverty—to connect with and inspire marginalized communities. He used his own experiences of being called 'nothing' and 'nobody' to affirm the potential in others, demonstrating that circumstances do not define destiny.
Reverend Jackson: 'I was born a teenage mother… I know abandonment and people being mean to you and saying you’re nothing and nobody and can never be anything… I wasn’t born in the hospital. Mama didn’t have insurance. I was born in the bed at house.' ()
6The Evolution of Operation Push's Mission
Pastor T.L. Barrett, a founding member, reveals the untold story of Operation Push's name. Initially, the majority wanted 'People United to Save Humanity,' but Jackson insisted on 'People United to Serve Humanity,' stating, 'saviors come and go, but servants are here forever.' This reflected his philosophy of teaching self-sufficiency rather than perpetual dependence.
Pastor T.L. Barrett: 'the majority settled on people united to save humanity. And we all applauded. But Reverend Jackson was not comfortable with that. He said there's something wrong and he came up with this. He said that we are not sent to save humanity... he said, 'No, saviors come and go, but servants are here forever.'' ()
Bottom Line
Jackson's ability to compartmentalize relationships allowed him to work with political adversaries like Ronald Reagan on specific issues (e.g., prisoner release) while simultaneously challenging them on policy, demonstrating a pragmatic approach to achieving goals.
This highlights a strategic flexibility in leadership, prioritizing specific outcomes over ideological purity, which can be a powerful model for navigating complex political landscapes.
Leaders can adopt a 'compartmentalized engagement' strategy, seeking common ground on specific, actionable issues with opponents, even while maintaining broader disagreements, to unlock progress in otherwise gridlocked situations.
The event itself, a public lying in repose, is framed as a continuation of Jackson's work, generating collective energy and a renewed call to action for voter registration and participation, especially in a midterm election year.
A leader's passing can become a catalyst for revitalizing their movement, transforming grief into renewed commitment and collective action.
Organizations and movements can strategically leverage memorial events not just for remembrance, but as powerful mobilization opportunities, channeling emotional energy into concrete political and social engagement.
Key Concepts
Theology of Defeat
A concept attributed to Reverend Jackson, suggesting that faith is proven through active movement towards justice, not just passive belief. It implies that engagement in struggle, even with setbacks, is a demonstration of faith.
Quilt vs. Melting Pot
Reverend Jackson framed America not as a 'melting pot' where differences dissolve, but as a 'quilt' where diverse groups (the 'rainbow coalition') retain their unique identities while being woven together into a stronger, unified whole.
Future-Proofing Social Justice
Jackson's intentional strategy of mentoring younger leaders, building broad coalitions, and embedding his principles (like 'I Am Somebody' and 'Keep Hope Alive') into public consciousness to ensure the movement's longevity and continued impact across generations.
Lessons
- Engage in voter registration and education, particularly targeting high school seniors and unregistered populations, to amplify collective political power.
- Adopt a comprehensive strategy for social change that includes research, education, negotiation, and organized action to hold institutions accountable.
- Actively mentor and invest time in younger generations, imparting lessons of dignity, self-sufficiency, and strategic activism to ensure the continuity of social justice movements.
Notable Moments
The opening prayer emphasizes gratitude for Reverend Jackson's life and legacy, asking for strength to carry on his work and ensure his legacy serves future generations.
Sets a tone of remembrance, gratitude, and a call to action, framing the event not just as mourning but as a continuation of his mission.
Reverend Jackson's 1984 Democratic National Convention speech is excerpted, where he describes his personal journey from poverty and marginalization, using it to empower others with the 'I Am Somebody' mantra.
This powerful excerpt showcases his rhetorical genius and his ability to connect his personal narrative to a universal message of dignity and resilience, which remains central to his legacy.
Pastor T.L. Barrett recounts the founding of Operation Push and Jackson's insistence on 'People United to Serve Humanity' over 'Save Humanity,' highlighting his philosophy of empowerment and self-sufficiency.
This anecdote provides a foundational insight into Jackson's core belief system, emphasizing active service and teaching over passive rescue, shaping the organization's enduring mission.
Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton attributes her political journey directly to Jackson's 'I Am Somebody' message, received as a young girl.
This personal testimony from a prominent political figure demonstrates the direct, intergenerational impact of Jackson's message on individual lives and leadership development.
Bonita Estelle, former CFO of Rainbow Push, details Jackson's four-step process for corporate accountability: research, education, negotiation, and retaliation (organizing/demonstrations).
This provides a concrete, strategic framework for how Jackson achieved economic justice, illustrating his methodical and effective approach to challenging corporate power.
Marshall Hatch Jr. brings his six-year-old daughter, Sophia, to the event, ensuring she becomes a 'push baby' and learns about Jackson's legacy, emphasizing the intergenerational transfer of activism.
Symbolizes the continuation of Jackson's mission through successive generations, highlighting the importance of early exposure to social justice principles.
Quotes
"We may be in the slum, but the slum is not in us. We may be in prison, but the prison is not in us. In what we have shifted from burn baby burn to learn baby learn. We have shifted from having a seizure about what the man got to seizing what we need."
"If we can run faster and jump higher and shoot a basketball straight off of inadequate diets, then we can read and write and count and think of those same diets. All that can happen."
"When you buy Honda and Toyota, that's foreign policy. Russian vodka, that's foreign policy. Panasonic and Sunny, that's foreign policy. Mercedes-Benz, that's foreign policy. As a matter of fact, we came here on a foreign policy."
"Reagan won when we were asleep. He won by the margin of despair. He won by the margin the fracture of our coalition. He won by the margin of racial division. He won by default."
"The true greatness of a man is in what he inspires others to do, and what he inspires others to achieve. And in how he is trying his other to themselves."
"You may not be responsible for being down, but you must be responsible for getting up."
"Tears will get you sympathy but sweat will get you change."
Q&A
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